Runner

Episode aired Aug 13, 2013
TV-G
52m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

YOUR RATING

Documentary Sport

Mary Decker obliterated opponents and records with blazing speed and a starving hunger to win. She dominated her sport, holding US records in every distance from 800 to 10,000 meters, and sh... Read allMary Decker obliterated opponents and records with blazing speed and a starving hunger to win. She dominated her sport, holding US records in every distance from 800 to 10,000 meters, and she did it all without the Olympics. She was too young in '72, hurt in '76 and shut out by t... Read allMary Decker obliterated opponents and records with blazing speed and a starving hunger to win. She dominated her sport, holding US records in every distance from 800 to 10,000 meters, and she did it all without the Olympics. She was too young in '72, hurt in '76 and shut out by the U.S. boycott in '80. As Sports Illustrated's cover Sportswoman of the Year in 1983, she... Read all

Director
- Shola Lynch
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

YOUR RATING

Director
- Shola Lynch
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

Featured review

The Best Episode So Far

Nine for IX: Runner (2013)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Shola Lynch does a terrific job directing this episode in ESPN's "Nine for IX" series. This one here takes a look at the career of runner Mary Decker who by many was considered the greatest in American history but throughout her career she kept having issues come up before the Olympics. This all changed when the 1984 Olympics came where she found herself the favorite but up-comer Zola Budd would enter the picture and change everything forever. I must admit that I had never heard of Decker before and I wasn't aware of the big event at the 1984 Olympics so going through the drama of everything that happened was quite tense. I thought director Lynch did a wonderful job at not only telling the complete story of Decker but she did an exceptionally good job when it came time for that now famous race and the drama that played out during the race and afterwards. There's no doubt that the director wanted to stand up for Decker who took some pretty strong abuse over how she handled the event but I think Lynch stays fair throughout. As with other episodes, it's great that both Decker and Budd are on hand to discuss the events.