Marita Koch 400m WR

[F6SuperTornado08]

She was drugged up the a**...

[HotChixAndMusic]

Forget Usain Bolt's 100m WR, the first 350m of this race is the most amazing run EVER by a pair of human legs. Only Silke Moller's 1st leg of the 4x100 relay WR comes close to it.

Marita Koch = greatest female athlete of all time.

[CHEETAH69]

@HotChixAndMusic lol. WHAT? Silke Moeller's run on a relay is touted as one of the best runs? Please.From Flo Jo to Ashford to Ottey to Marie Jose Perec have run far more impressively.

[noglaman]

Can someone say vitamin S

[ImGrateful1990]

Now what the fuck...is this forreal? This woman sprinted the entire 400m like that? Get outta here: drugs.

[MrRazorblade999]

They should erase all the world records from the 80's.

[jkalifa]

@MrRazorblade999

Right, from 1980 to 1988, which was the last year of serious steroids (after that they were very likely to be detected and were abandoned). Female athletes did not beat a single record for many years after 1988, except in pole vault and triple jump, which were brand new disciplines for females.

[buroilu]

drug doping

drug doping

drug doping

drug doping

drug doping

drug doping

[Menexpert]

Unfortunately I think a lot of countries were doping their athletes in the 80's. The difference was that the Americans were more sophisticated at it.

[kmb9624]

@Menexpert I don't believe that we were more sophisticated at doing it, technology just hadn't caught up. But, the former Eastern bloc did it as routine. It was common knowledge. I think they should wipe out the women's 400, 800, 1,500; 100h; 4x100r; 4x400r; 3,000 & 10,000. Even Flojo's 10.49 should be stricken only because of the swirling winds in Indianapolis that day she ran the record. It was clearly wind-aided. Her 10.61 is the more believable WR. 48.25 is the honest WR here.

[jonesy77777]

@kmb9624

Flo Jo's 100m/200m records are just as sketchy as the 400m if not more so. Look at her leading up to 1988 and she looks like an incredible hulk version of her old physique. Then she immediately retires afterwards. She was a dirty as they come.

[kmb9624]

@jonesy77777 She took the Ben Johnson regimen for bulking up. Thank goodness she didn't take stanozolol. Flojo was never busted for taking PEDS, nor did her autopsy reveal that she did. So as far as I'm concerned, she was clean. In America, we stand by the principle "innocent until proven guilty." However, I stand by my belief that womens' 100m record ought to be 10.61.

[wolfdog45]

shes still an incredible athlete but it just a shame she took drugs as well, i don't understand how people can feel like they've achived any when they're busy doping

[TheBlamus]

@wolfdog45 she had no choice. in the ddr was that normal and the athletes dont know, what they've done to them. i now that because my mom was in that system. but when we look at our age, then is your statement right. sorry for my english, im german.

[munkhut]

everybody take drugs in the 80´s east germany ,usa,ussr, and every other country

[joshiesmileyboy66]

oops meant *perec then freeman

[beebeechitown]

This shit shouldn't have ever counted...exactly like Ben Johnson's dope records.

Eastern Bloc records are a bad joke.

[vonkaunaz]

With all due respect [although there´s none], you people are ridiculous. Marita Koch, even if she took "illegal" substances was of a different breed. You fail to understand a very basic notion here: taking substances to "enhance performance" will not make you a world-class sprinter. In fact, many sprinters who are doping never win their races, much less perform like Marita, or M. Ottey, G. Torrence, Irina Privalova, FloJo, etc. You need more than that to be like any of these superb sprinters.

[CHEETAH69]

@vonkaunaz You're absolutely right about the exceptional athlete one has to already be in order to do what Koch did here. But lets not attempt to deny the influence drugs could have had here. I can't suppose what type of times she might have had if she were clean, but I think most can agree that 47-something ain't it.

[jahfet1]

DRUGS, DRUGS & MORE DRUGS!

[joshiesmileyboy66]

has anyone ever noticed that the six fastest women at 400m all time have placed 1st and 2nd in only three different races which are their sole pb's. koch (47.60 wr) and bryzgina (48.27 4th all time) in 1985 world cup... kratochvilova (47.99 2nd all time) and kocembova (48.59 5th all time) in 1983 world titles.... perec (48.25 3rd all time) and freeman (48.63 6th all time) in 1996 olympic final. freeman's time should be made new world record!

[TechnoForever99]

@joshiesmileyboy66

You think that freeman was clean ?

Come on :)

[CHEETAH69]

@joshiesmileyboy66 Did I miss the news about Perec being a druggie? In fact, I remember HER saying shortly after her 48.25 that THAT was the new WR.

[jim28t77]

this record is steroid enhanced bullshit Marie Jose Perec should have the record at 48.23 this should of been removed a long time ago as it is such common knowledge in the 80's their was a huge doping thing going on in the german athletics camp

[Branded1978]

Really?. Marie Jose Perec aka training partner of Marita Koch. You must be joking. If Koch is guilty then so is Perec.

[bzach71]

It just shows how hypocrite people are. They will say their favourite athletes are clean and the others dirty. Its a level playing field to me. Those who are clean may even be dirty (without being detected: eg Marion Jones, Carl Lewis)

[TechnoForever99]

@jim28t77

And thats why Marion Jones was also not doped ?

Freeman und Perec were also doped!

Doping has never stopped !

[bzach71]

Yup.Spot On.

[bluewhale18]

Why are these records still allowed in the books????

It's just so obvious that she was pumped with testosterone and goodness knows what other drugs.

[rakokako]

Doping, Doping Doping Doping Doping!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahaha, and noeone understand nothing!! haha, But i see the second place there has also taking doping. And you can see the other runners who run normaly has train hard and dont take doping! Hate Marita Koch, one of the biggest cheater of all time in the history

[PongGod]

Should have been spelled Marita Cock.

[StewNWT]

Really wish they had a video up of Kratochivilova's 800m record

[ponzi6]

Women's; 100m, 4x100m,100m hurdles, 200m, 400m, 4x400,800m, High Jump, Long Jump, Shot put and Discus world records have stood for over twenty years.

Remarkable.

[jim28t77]

maybe the high and lon jump are the only legit records?

[paulouk83]

really??? i dont think they are!

[paulouk83]

add to that all the awful chinese records and the womens records are all a joke!

[szternblic]

i thought it was kratochvilova in 2nd no?

[saddq1]

No, she was seconds behind Koch. It was Vladykina in 2nd.

[StewNWT]

I wonder what the time was of that girl who came in 2nd? That would be about the 3rd fastest time in history

[jxxxjppp]

actually im not convinced that perec was clean either,especially as she never came close to her 48.25 ever again.......marita koch was most likely doped to the gills,and ran like a man,but drugs or not,she would have still been a very gifted athlete anyway,probably a sub 50 second runner.drugs or not,say what you will,the east germans would have still been good.

[Arska777999]

It's fairly obvious Perec wasn't clean, and we don't care if doped athletes would have been good without steroids. They weren't clean, period.

[zoltar56]

MJ Perec who was reigning on the 400m in the 90s and was at her best head and shoulder above all the other competitors had 48.25 for best record...

No comment

[sportnerd112]

this is clearly another drugs maniac!

[Irishsam]

How come in womens athletics hardly any of the records have been threatened ever since drug testing became a little more fool proof in the 90s and since the Cold political détente came to an end? How come for the first time since people started making records of athletics and timing was introduced it is the first decade ever that the natural progression of womens records has come to a staggering halt? How come?

[gracko14]

Don't know why they give you the thumbs down; you are right.

[Irishsam]

Because they r german? ha. likely...any way its true tho. from 400m up should be scrapped ignoring one or 2.

The only reasxon why they wont is that the athletics federation dont want to admit they got done over for years

[Irishsam]

All ugly women dope. and shes one ugly mother fucker

[CHUNKEY70]

Maybe sHe was mabe she wasn't. We will NEVER know but this was the eighties so theres a question mark above the heads of ALL athlethes NO EXCEPTION.

[Jacoland]

I don't understand because she accelerate without be tired at the last 100 meters,can she be in doping or no?

[Branded1978]

Maybe. There were files sggesting she was but that was only for the previous year. There's nothing on her for thhe year she broke this. But this performance is not uncommon for Koch. This is retty much how she ran all her races. But many athletes accelerated the last 100 without looking tiered look at Michael Johnson or even Usain Bolt.

[Rettamann]

No one ever wondered why the west german women were so much slower that their East german counterparts or why with the advancement of training methods etc German women can't get near those times of the 80's???? I also find it hard to believe that Koch a year after allegedly coming off drugs ,steroids etc would run even faster. Don't buy it. As talented as Koch must have been I don't believe this record a natural one and nothing anyone say or does will convince me otherwise.

[racketer]

ur one fucked up freak.Drugs dont dissapear they last a long time to help the athlete get to the position they are to. E.g dwain chambers caught taking drugs came back to run the 2nd fastest 60m indoor ever. Of course these woman were and had been on drugs. Thats the reason no-one has ever gotten near their records and they look like men. I mean half od them admitted it. Ever wonder why mens records have all went down but womans records from the 1980's cant even be touched?

[gracko14]

Chambers was a cheat, but also a very gifted athlete who couldn't wait to achieve naturally; sounds about right for the world we live in!

[BusyManIAm]

Drugs or no drugs, this was one hell of a performance! Bryzgina ran well also.

[sculptor1965]

The only way to beat her record and wipe her off the record books is to make fast tracks which is what they are doing. Soon ladies will be running 47 but it will be worth 51 on an old cinder track.

[CHUNKEY70]

One thing I've learned from athletes like Lewis, Christie and the recent Pettigrew scandal is NO-ONE can say for sure who's clean and who isn't. Yeah you scrap a medal and hand it to next deserving (apparently) CLEAN athlete but how can you be so sure they weren't dopers too? Exactly, you CAN'T be. And what would be the basis for scrapping medals and records? You can't scrap something on resonable doubt you need solid evidence.

[rikkiboy123]

Listen you lot below me this Koch was a drugs cheat. Her and most East Germans including Driecshler were all on experimental drugs. Cheating bastards never win.

[Branded1978]

This is athleteics everyones on something unnatural. Get over it! Koch was one of the greatest.

[rimanecek]

The thing is that nearly everyone doped in these days. Not only East Germans, but also many western athletes. And as for the athletes in eastern contries - do not blame them. Very often they were forced to dope. Sometimes the ladies were even forced to conceive and abort to have better results! Something very sad was going on and the athletes were often victims, not criminals. BTW. Drechsler is the correct spelling.

[aquamarineeyes]

You are coming across as a complete imbecile rikkiboy123. The great Marita Koch was a natural talent who was at the top of her game season after season after season. Get over it! What about the American druggies eh? Marion Jones , Antonio Pettigrew, Kersee as well as Carl Lewis!!!

[paulouk83]

put them all in the same category for me! dont care if its america or germany something is not right about the 80s times!

[ventiladorsanse]

Doping

[keravankauhu]

shut up!

[Burpingbelcher]

Dirty.

[keravankauhu]

shut up! SHE´S AWESOME!

[Branded1978]

Man it pisses me off that the 84' olympics were boycoted. We would have seen a fantastic showdown between Kratochvilova, Koch, Brisco & Kochemchova.

[rimanecek]

Do you mean Kocembova?

[Branded1978]

I agree Koch is the greatest femaale 400 sprinter ever. People can throw the doping card all they want. But it will never be proven. Besides nobody can say for sure who is and who isn't. Koch wasn't just a flash in the pan, she was extremely consistant with over a decade in the sport. So she gets my vote.

[water71]

Everybody in this run is not clean!

She has the greatest talent for 400 m in the athletic history ever!

[Boydymason]

In fact 84,88,92, then 96 went quicker so are we going to be even handed and put perec, and brisco-hooks as dirty as well?

[Boydymason]

Koch lost the olympic record in 96, and her 47.60 is not so untouchable as what it once was. There is richards that is capable of anything given the right circumstances.

As for koch she was like a female wariner, not just in build, but an excellant one off talent. She also had a career that stood the test of time for over a decade. Clean till proven other wise.

[zim83]

The Olympic record belonged to Valerie Brisco-Hooks, another suspicious athlete, not Koch. I struggle to understand how someone can still believe she was clean even if it's been proved that there was a state-sponsored doping program.

[WillBeringer]

What action will be taken if any to your allegations? Will they do a marion jones on this generation? Loss of medals,records and such?

[athlete5399]

She was proven to be NOT clean. There is documentation relating dated performances to a 'numbered' not 'named' athlete. We all know when Koch ran her fast times so it was just a matter of matching these up, not rocket science! The womens world records at 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m are all held by VERY controversial athletes. Kratochvilova has even admitted herself that she was on drugs some years ago. I do believe at the very least, all GDR records should be scrapped.

[aquamarineeyes]

Are you still here zim83?? Go and bash some other country like America for example Flo Jo, Marion Jones, Antonio Pettigrew, Kersee, Carl Lewis. Get back to Salisbury in Rhodesia and stay there!

[athlete5399]

She was proven to be NOT clean. There is documentation relating dated performances to a 'numbered' not 'named' athlete. We all know when Koch ran her fast times so it was just a matter of matching these up, not rocket science! The womens world records at 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m are all held by VERY controversial athletes. Kratochvilova has even admitted herself that she was on drugs some years ago. I do believe at the very least, all GDR records should be scrapped.

[CHUNKEY70]

I've seen these documentations. However Koch was only implicated from 81-84 and this record doesn't fall between those brackets since it was set in in late 85. And even at the beginning of her career in 75' she was always setting records and winning by huge margins. As for scrapping records, well we all know that will never happen.

[lordraven1980]

look, koch obviously had natural talent or she would never been picked up by the DDR doping program. but she was most def doped up when she set the WR. i cant believe how naive/ignorant some people are.

AND the positive effects of doping do not all disappear (when talking about steroids at least) when you stop taking the stuff. in other words people who get caught cheating should never be allowed to compete again.

[fabiojoseph]

Not unlike these performances in 400m also the actual female records in 100m and 200 m are seriously in smell of doping.

[McKottfars]

Look at the time when she crosses the finish line. Doesn't it "drag", it's exactly 47.3 when she crosses the line!

[dimasnko]

and what about Pérec? As far as I know 48.25 isn't a good performance...it is a THRILLING one, even sanya richards is more than 0.5sec slower! Not to take anything away from Pérec but she hasn't been the center of attetion for this kind of issues very often...(despite her terrific PB).

[denilson200]

They were all cheats. M.Koch's (47.60-400m) and J.Kratovilovas (1.53-800m) along with Flo-Jo's (10.49-100m / 21.34-200m) They were achieved 20 years ago and some even 25 years ago. Yet no women athlete today with all the advances in training, diet,fitness gets even close to them. There is no doubt in my mind they were drugged up to eyeballs.

[tltody]

22.4 on 200m !!!!!!!!!!!

[tltody]

IDyota

ROFL, Marita Koch and Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina smoked the others,

ahah

[fraka899]

800 is beatable. Is th question of time. Other 3 mission impossible

[tekena7]

hmm, i dont know though... the record is 1.53.28, and i dont think anyone has broken 1.56 since Slaney was competing...Mutola's come closest since, and her best is @ 1.56. it will take an extra-special athlete to get near 1.53

[zim83]

I vaguely recall Ana Fidelia Quirot clocked 1.54 but that was way back in the late 80s, early 90s where doping controls were a bit looser. Other than that, most championships have been won with times raging between 1.55 and 1.58. Mutola got 1.55 back in 1993 and so did the Dutch who won gold in Barcelona (I was there), then vanished.

[jrussell73]

The dutch girl you refer to Zim dissapeared due to terrible injuries and illness.

[rimanecek]

The record IS beatable. This year's OG in Beijing proved that. The winner is likely to beat Kratochvilova.

[Olafur101]

800 is completely unbeatable (as far as they don't find a drug which can't be tested) exactly as impossible as 100 and 200, 400 is the "easiest". Perec wasn't very far away

[zim83]

Hmm, I don't know really. 0.65 can be an eternity in 400 meters. How clean Perec was, I wouldn't be able to tell really...

[Olafur101]

Yes, I agree with the 2 things you said. I think, in the end 100, 200, 400 and 800 are unbeatable (unless somebody developed a new drug which could also happen or maybe genetic doping in the future...)

[Dementedhighlander]

Have you noticed guys in the last 150 it comes across that shes losing momentum. I might be wrong but she seems to be quicker in the early stages.

[jibjobjab]

Have to say I agree with Rettamann. I have no more belief in the old Eastern block records than Flo Jo's.

[Dementedhighlander]

The 1,2, and 8 i might agree with you on rettamann. But im still not convinced on that quarter.

[arisbasil]

cheater!!!!!!

An extraordinary WR which must be erased by IAAF.

[Dementedhighlander]

Aye apologies jib 2 more excellent athletes to celebrate also.

[monalisa3214]

After all this years, i still think this is the best human performance ever, on the track

[zim83]

Human?

[monalisa3214]

I can imagine what you will say the day it will be broke (or do you think there are umbeatable records?)

[zim83]

It will be decades before a human can beat 10.49, 21.34, 47.60 and 1.53.28 without the aid of drugs.

[Rettamann]

Womens 1 ,2 ,4 and 8 all unbeatable. Mmmm. Wonder y?

[Dementedhighlander]

The 1980s also provided some of the most beautiful athletics also zim. Look at the british class of 1980. To this day i am proud of Allan wells, seb coe, steve ovett, Daley thompson, Kathy smallwood and the ladys british 400metre relay now that was good for track and field.

[jibjobjab]

No mention of Cram or Elliot Highlander? They did their bit 4 us too.

[Dementedhighlander]

I can see where your coming from zim, but it was the timing of the accusations that gets to me. Yes i would agree with you if koch had done a kenteris and thanou and made out she lost her way to the stadium for her dope test. And if she does a pietro mennea and admits that she was juiced then i will gladly join in hanging her high. But until then the statsis simply will not do.

[zim83]

No-one will ever come close to that drug-aided time, ever. I don't think the files that emerged after the GDR fell are "western propaganda" anyway, less so when there have been trials in Germany, people have been sentenced and compensations have been paid to several athletes. An orchestrated conspiracy? Hardly. And bear in mind quite a few East Germans have admitted to being part of state-sponsored doping programs. The 1980s were shameful for track and field.

[aquamarineeyes]

zim83 why do you CONSTANTLY focus on the East German athletes??? Do you have a strange weird Nazi fetish or something?? Grow up!

[Dementedhighlander]

An abundance of speculation.

[jibjobjab]

Yes ,like the Chinese of the 90's. The eastern blocks times of the 70's and 80's can't be trusted. Well I don't recognise them anyway. Perec's PB is the world record in my eyes.

[Rettamann]

Agreed jeb.

[jebjoncula]

I will never believe the Russians and East Germans of the 70's and 80's achieved their top performances clean. I think most people are of this opinion and it's not down to western propaganda . Just good old common sense and logic.

[jebjoncula]

Funny how not one West German women at the time wasn't up with the East German women. Yes granted Koch must have been talented but without state help she probably would have been running sub 49's rather than sub 48's. Too many of the ex athletes of East Germany have told us what we all suspected and I remember a number of their athletes being covered in acne on their backs. Not concrete proof I admit but enough to entertain doubt.

[Dementedhighlander]

We know the east germans were cheats????!!! Em! how exactly do you know? For starters do you know what the circumstances were when these so called files were found? I believe they were handed over for cash. And all this malarky when the east german wall coming down only exposed bullshit made up from the western media example i remember koch been beasted in her interviews by the western press. Yet again brain washed thinking protudes itself.

[Dementedhighlander]

No proof. Her medals are safe in situ in bank in berlin she is honest just like flojo and jones. As the yanks would say "quit hating"

[CHEETAH69]

As a long time fan of Flo Jo, Koch and Jones, I have to regrettably concede that ALL of them were most likely on drugs. I'm an American. No shame in admitting what most people already know as truth.

[Rettamann]

Well said. Someone with half a brain.

We know the East Germans were cheats .They weren't caught when they were running but the fall of the wall and discovery of the stasi files proved they were running these times with aid. Anyone who follows track and field knows the cheats are always one step ahead of the testers.

[ozwunder69]

in the stasi files KOCH was on drugs!

[aquamarineeyes]

YOU ARE WRONG ozwunder69! THe great Marita Koch is only guilty by ASSOCIATION nothing more!

[ozwunder69]

i guess her enlarged clit means nothing!

[aquamarineeyes]

yeah yeah ozwunder69 very good. if u want to see a woman athlete morphed into a man check out Maria Mutola from Mozambique (800m runner). Now she is SCARY lookiing!

[themckenzies]

How do you all know they were cheats they did not test positive,and kept their medals. But you know we mention the americans been on drugs and everyone goes ape. whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

[ColdShotMania]

based on this women 400m wr of 47.60 the men 400m wr should be 42.60. step it up men, meaning wariner, merrit, kikaya, x-carter. you are all capable of 42.60

[westozzy]

what an absolute cheat.

[cucumb]

MArita Koch actually run 60m indoor too and beat Marlies Göhr if I remember correctly.

[youngfinn]

yeah marita for germany..

[IDyota]

ROFL, Marita Koch and Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina smoked the others, actually Vladykina ran in 48.27 in this race which is still the 4th best overall behind Koch, Kratochvilova and MJ Perec (first of the humans).

On a side note you should edit the tags since Marita Koch was running for East Germany (not west).

[SecretAlexD]

She is NOT clean!!!!