Ben Johnson 1988 OG
Reaction 0.132
10m 1.70
20m 1.04
30m 0.89
40m 0.90
50m 0.84
60m 0.83
70m 0.84
80m 0.85
90m 0.87
100m 0.90
Results 9.79
Ben Johnson 1987 WC
Reaction 0.129
10m 1.71
20m 1.02
30m 0.94
40m 0.87
50m 0.86
60m 0.85
70m 0.85
80m 0.87
90m 0.86
100m 0.87
Result 9.83
Charlie had never stated that the Rome race had a higher velocity. It was the 1987 Zurich race where Ben’s blocks slipped at the start and he had to make up the distance on the field with a huge surge. The 10m split was the same as Seoul (0.83 seconds - 12.1 m/s average over 10m), but Charlie believed the instantaneous velocity was higher in Zurich vs Seoul.
With regard to the spine position, I didn’t say the race was a result of spine position. Rather, the head position was more less an indicator. When Bruny panicked in the latter half of the race, he began to push more with his stride (both with his arms and legs) resulting in the head rearing up and back. Much of this was supported by my discussions with Charlie, as well as a number of others (other athletes in Bruny’s training group, physical therapists, etc.). Sadly enough, I was coaching athletes at the meet in 2000 where Bruny pulled his hamstring (Canadian Olympic trials) and ruined his chances of challenging Mo at the 2000 Olympics.
When I was with Charlie in LA in 2001 for a seminar, we discussed the use of the “tucked head” position by many of the HSI runners at the time (Mo, Ato, Drummond) because many had attributed their success to this technique. I asked him if it was of any value in the start/acceleration phase. He said no and wrote it off as something that was unique to their group, but didn’t have any positive impact on their starts. He may have used the word “horse-shit” as he often did, but I don’t remember the exact comment he had. Charlie didn’t hold back… if he thought it was horse-shit, he let it be known. But I believe the tucked head technique was popularized by the HSI group and copied by Trevor Graham and many others.