Mary Decker facts for kids

Decker in 1982
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Birth name	Mary Teresa Decker
Born	(1958-08-04) August 4, 1958 (age 67) Bunnvale, New Jersey, U.S.
Height	168 cm
Weight	51 kg
Sport
Sport	Middle distance running
Event(s)	800–5000 m
Club	Athletics West, Eugene
Retired	1999
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	800 m: 1:56.90 (1985) 1500 m: 3:57.12 (1983) Mile: 4:16.71 (1985) 3000 m: 8:25.83 (1985) 5000 m: 15:06.53 (1985) 10,000 m: 31:35.3 (1982)
Medal record Representing  United States World Championships Gold 1983 Helsinki 1500 m Gold 1983 Helsinki 3000 m Pan American Games Gold 1979 San Juan 1500 m

Mary Teresa Slaney (born August 4, 1958) is a famous American retired runner. She was amazing at middle-distance and long-distance races. During her career, Mary won gold medals at the 1983 World Championships. She was also a world-record holder in the mile, 5000 meters, and 10,000 meters races.

Mary set 17 official and unofficial world records. She was the first woman ever to run a mile in under 4 minutes and 20 seconds! She also set 36 U.S. national records. These records were for distances from 800 meters to 10,000 meters. Her 1500 meters record lasted for 32 years, and her mile record stood for 38 years. In 2003, she was honored by being added to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Mary's Running Journey

In 1973, Mary Decker set her first world record. She ran an indoor mile in 4 minutes and 40.1 seconds. By 1974, she held the world indoor record for 880 yards and 800 meters.

Mary faced some challenges with injuries early in her career. A muscle condition called compartment syndrome caused her to miss the 1976 Summer Olympics. After surgery, she recovered and continued her training. In 1979, she became one of the first American women to run a mile in under 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

In 1980, Mary was the first woman to break the 4-minute, 20-second barrier for the mile. She ran it in an incredible 4 minutes and 17.55 seconds. She could not compete in the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics because the United States boycotted the games. However, she received a special Congressional Gold Medal for American athletes.

In 1982, Mary set six world records. These records were for distances from the mile run to 10,000 meters. She won the James E. Sullivan Award as the best amateur athlete in the United States.

Winning Big at the World Championships

In 1983, Mary achieved something amazing called the "Double Decker." She won both the 1500 meters and 3000 meters races. This happened at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Mary was known for winning easily in the U.S. This made some people wonder about her race strategies. But her wins against top Soviet runners proved she was a smart and strong competitor. After her double win, she received the Jesse Owens Award. Sports Illustrated magazine also named her Sportsperson of the Year.

Just before her World Championship victories, Mary improved her U.S. 1500 meters record. She ran it in 3 minutes and 57.12 seconds in Stockholm in July 1983. This record stood for 32 years!

The 1984 Olympic Race

Decker leading the 3000 m final at the 1984 Olympics, with Zola Budd and Wendy Sly to her right, and Maricica Puică just behind to her left

Mary was expected to win a gold medal in the 3000 meters race at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In the final race, a barefoot runner named Zola Budd from Great Britain was running close to Mary.

Mary stayed very close to Budd in the crowded race. They accidentally touched, and Mary fell to the side of the track. She hurt her hip and could not finish the race. Maricica Puică of Romania won the race. Mary was carried off the track, very upset.

At first, officials disqualified Zola Budd. But after watching videos of the race, they decided to let her race result stand. Even though Mary was behind Budd, some sports reporters supported Mary's view that Budd had caused the fall. However, the race director and the IAAF (the international athletics group) did not agree.

Mary and Zola met again in a 3000-meter race in London in July 1985. Mary won that race, and Zola finished fourth. After the race, they shook hands and made up. Years later, Mary said that she fell because she was not used to running so closely in a group. She said she knew Zola did not trip her on purpose. They even reunited for a 2016 documentary about the incident called The Fall.

Mary had a great year in 1985. She won many races in Europe. She set a new world record for the women's mile in Zurich, running it in 4 minutes and 16.71 seconds. Since that race in 1985, only a few runners have run the mile faster than Mary did.

Decker at the 1988 Olympic trials

Mary missed the 1986 season to have her child. She also missed the 1987 season due to an injury. She competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. She ran in the 1500 meters and 3000 meters races. She finished 8th and 10th, but did not win a medal. She did not qualify for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Later Years

Throughout her later career, Mary suffered from many stress fractures. These are small cracks in bones caused by repeated stress. She had many surgeries on her legs and feet. She hoped these surgeries would help her run marathons competitively. However, she continued to have injuries.

Mary retired with her husband to their property in Eugene, Oregon. She still enjoys jogging every other day.

International Competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Result
Representing  United States
1979	Pan American Games	San Juan, Puerto Rico	1st	1500 m	4:05.7
1983	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	1st	1500 m	4:00.90
			1st	3000 m	8:34.62
1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, United States	DNF	3000 m	8:44.32 (heat)
1985	Grand Prix Final	Rome, Italy	1st	3000 m	8:46.38
1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea	8th	1500 m	4:02.49
			10th	3000 m	8:47.13
1991	Grand Prix Final	Barcelona, Spain	2nd	Mile	4:28.35
1996	Olympic Games	Atlanta, United States	21st (h)	5000 m	15:41.30
1997	World Indoor Championships	Paris, France	DQ (2nd)	1500 m	4:05.22
(h) Indicates overall position in qualifying heats. DNF = did not finish. DQ = disqualified.

See also

In Spanish: Mary Decker-Slaney para niños