The Fastest Man In The World Race
How top sprinters Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson staged a head-to-head race in 1997.
Sporting Witness · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
In 1997, the reigning 100m Olympic champion, Canada’s Donovan Bailey, and the reigning 200m champion, Michael Johnson of the USA, staged a unique two-man race to settle a dispute about who was really the world’s fastest man. Held over 150 metres at the Skydome arena in Toronto, the atmosphere was more like a boxing match and created massive media interest. Simon Watts talks to the eventual winner, Donovan Bailey, about a victory he considers every bit as sweet as Olympic gold.
PHOTO: Donovan Bailey, left, and Michael Johnson at promotional event (Getty Images)