(light music)
- [Narrator] In the mid '90s Michael Johnson
and Donovan Bailey were the stars of track and field.
American Michael Johnson dominated the 200 and 400.
While Canadian Donovan Bailey was king of the 100.
They both broke world records, collected gold medals
and were known as the world's fastest man.
The world's fastest man, singular.
So that couldn't last.
But it could create a petty nationalistic rivalry
that spilled into the press
and gave birth to something rarely seen
in track and field, a million dollar race
to determine who really was the world's fastest man.
Come on, that's a lot of money.
This isn't the NBA.
(light music)
Let's begin our story at
the 1995 World Championships in Sweden.
Johnson took home gold in the 200 meters,
400 meters, and four by 400 relay.
Bailey also had a successful trip to Sweden
taking home gold in the 100 and four by one.
Things seemed to be going great
for each individual, individually.
No reason to be upset with each other
or with anything, really.
Johnson was heralded as the next Jesse Owens
which had to feel good being compared
to an American legend and your personal hero.
Bailey, however, didn't get to enjoy
such a flattering comparison.
Bailey was indirectly compared
to the last most famous Canadian sprinter, Ben Johnson.
Who brought glory and gold to Canada
but then had to return both when he got caught doping.
In fact, the Donovan Bailey-Ben Johnson comparison
was so prevalent, in the three weeks leading up
to the '95 World Championships Donovan
was drug tested six times.
Officials didn't say it was because of Ben Johnson
but like, it was so obvious they didn't really have to.
But Bailey wasn't doping and his career was blossoming
just in time for the '96 Olympics in Atlanta.
Months before the torch was lit,
Bailey broke the indoor 50 meter world record.
Not bad for a guy who was a full time stock broker
just three years ago.
And what was Michael Johnson doing in the months before
the '96 Olympics?
Oh, just announcing his plans
to win gold in both the 200 and 400,
asking the Olympic committee to reschedule some events
to give him more rest time between
the 200 and 400 preliminary heats,
and then being granted that request.
Not only did he get the Olympics rescheduled,
he got a letter from the president
of the World Track Federation telling him not
to worry about the schedule and later told him
basically straight up that America was his favorite country
and Johnson was his favorite athlete.
He called Johnson an Olympic hero
before the Olympics.
Now, I'd have to imagine this bothered
the Canadian Bailey and also all athletes
from all other countries.
Johnson was getting all this positive attention
and Bailey was getting told he couldn't get
into a club for free because a bouncer didn't recognize him.
And that happened in front of his friends.
But hey, Johnson couldn't get into stuff too.
He was banned from the '96 London Grand Prix meet
for being too good.
So, track stardom was a different experience
for Michael Johnson than it was for Donovan Bailey.
But there wasn't any open hostility between these two, yet.
At the '96 Atlanta Olympics
because they ran different events their paths never crossed.
Or were never directly side by side,
you get what I'm going for.
Donovan Bailey and the Canadian relay team won gold
in the four by one and in the 100 meter dash
Donovan Bailey had what I'm assuming
was the best day of his life.
Move over, birth of his daughter.
Bailey impressed even himself
with his superhuman feat.
Not just winning gold but setting a world record
at 9.84 seconds.
And in totally separate events Michael Johnson
had some fun too.
He wore golden shoes which you'd think would jinx him
but instead they just seemed to be
the only appropriate shoes for him to wear.
Johnson won gold in the 400, setting an Olympic record
with a time of 43.49 seconds.
Then in the 200 he made history.
In a couple of categories.
Clocking in at 19.32 Michael Johnson exploded
the previous 200 record of 19.72.
Which had stood for 17 years.
Oh right, and that earned him a gold medal.
Which means, he accomplished something
that no man, but two women, had ever accomplished before.
He became the first man to win gold
in both the 400 meters and the 200 meters
at the Olympics.
Now at this point, you might be wondering how two guys
who never raced each other ended up with beef.
Enter this guy. Bob Costas covered Michael Johnson's
historic 200 meter run
and the fact that he doesn't normally analyze
track and field results did not slow him down.
Despite the unofficial title of fastest man
in the world traditionally going
to the 100 meter record holder,
Costas challenged that notion saying Johnson
was actually faster than Bailey.
What he did is he divided Johnson's 200 time
in half getting 9.66 seconds per 100.
Which is better than Bailey's world record time
of 9.84 seconds.
But that's not how it works.
Because see, Johnson's gonna have
a running start for that second 100 meters.
Bailey responded saying, in the nicest possible way,
Bob Costas is an idiot.
But then, someone who did know something
about track spoke up.
Ato Boldon the bronze medalist in both
the 100 and 200 said Johnson was the world's fastest man,
not Donovan Bailey.
I doubt very much they were friends.
Bailey played it cool but it seemed like
the threat to his throne was becoming real.
The press ran with it.
Michael's coach claimed that though he
was no math nerd, Michael Johnson was
the fastest man in the world.
And with that, beef was born.
Shortly after the Olympics Bailey
and Johnson actually ran together
at the Berlin Grand Prix.
They were both part of a four by one relay team
dubbed the dream team.
Created to honor the anniversary of Jesse Owens
really stickin' it to the Nazis back in 1936.
It was more ceremonial than competitive
but as anyone who's ever worked
on a group project knows, being teammates
doesn't mean you get along.
At the press conference announcing
the members of the non basketball dream team
our guys confronted each other
and kind of just shouted their stats back and forth.
Bailey said there was no one who could beat him
in the 100.
Johnson said, oh yeah well there's no one
who can run 24 miles an hour like me.
Bailey said he reached 28.7 miles per hour.
Which is like 24, only better.
Bailey was pissed and he went on to say
this whole debate was rooted
in classic downhome American jealously.
And you know who agreed with him?
The Canadian people.
So they entered the debate.
Canadian auto body worker Mike Leskiw dipped into
his vacation savings and took out an ad
in the Dallas, Texas USA Today
with a nod to Bailey's hometown of Oakville, Ontario
and a direct shot at Johnson.
It read, come visit the hometown
of the world's fastest man, Oakville, Ontario.
Sorry, Michael J.
Why did Mike Leskiw choose the USA Today
specifically in Dallas, Texas?
Because that's where Michael Johnson lived.
Now that's just one guy
and I said the Canadian people were involved.
Well, you see, the anti Johnson ads cost
about 35,000 dollars.
Which is more than Leskiw had in his vacation fund.
But he could cover it because Canadian citizens
were sending in donations to keep those ads running.
With Bailey's hometown newspaper publisher
footing most of the bill.
What a country.
And what do you know, that wasn't the only way
publications played a role in this track beef.
The Associated Press gave Michael Johnson
the '96 male athlete of the year award.
Which doesn't seem like something Bailey
should get too bend out of shape about.
But the thing is, this award is voted on
by the press and Donovan Bailey got zero votes.
To put that into context, Ric Flair got two votes.
And this horse got seven votes.
Bailey responded by calling Americans ignorant
and Johnson, a true patriot bristled at that.
He took to the press to point out
that Bailey had an American coach
and trains in America, so who's ignorant now?
Johnson was also sure to mention
that he's better than Bailey.
Sports Illustrated joined the fight
with a whole article making fun of Bailey
for one, not getting any votes,
and two whining about it.
Oh, and they were sure to mention
that Johnson was better than Bailey.
Everyone had their opinion.
If only there was some concrete way
to find out who could run faster.
Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson
were going to race to determine who really was
the fastest man in the world.
The race was going to be 150 meters
because that's more than 100 and less than 200.
And a specialty track was to be built
that was 75 meters curved, 75 meters straightaway.
Math.
Ahead of the race Johnson took to the press
to point out Bailey was getting his
and I quote, ass kicked in a bunch
of post Olympic meets by Dennis Mitchell.
Which is a pretty good burn when you remember
Dennis Mitchell is the guy who ran
while wearing an eyebrow ring.
Bailey countered saying, Michael Johnson didn't even belong
in a race for the world's fastest man
because he's not fast enough.
Weird angle, but an angle, sure.
In promos for the race Johnson flexed his confidence.
- If I go in there and win, which I fully expect to,
I consider myself still the fastest man in the world.
- [Narrator] And Bailey insisted this race
wasn't really going to determine
the fastest man in the world
because that's reserved for the 100 meter champ.
- Well you know, Michael if you wanna be
the fastest man in the world, run the 100 meters.
Figure it out.
- [Narrator] Not to be out done,
Michael Johnson claimed he didn't even need
the title because he's accomplished so much.
But there was even more at stake
than just the title.
Pride, I mean money.
Both guys would get half a million just
for showing up and the winner would get
an additional million.
Considering they'll be running for less
than 15 seconds, that's not a bad rate.
But despite the cash, both guys threatened to back out.
Two days before the race, Bailey saw
the specially built track and claimed
that the radius of the turn was tighter
than what he had been told and what he'd been practicing on.
He insisted they change the track.
Johnson wasn't on board with that
and threatened to quit.
The track wasn't changed,
probably because it was already built.
So, everyone expected Bailey to back out.
Instead, the morning of the race he issued
a press release saying the track design
was an egregious miscarriage of the competitive spirit
and that he'd be racing under mental duress.
Well you gotta admire his word choice,
you also have to admit those aren't
the words of someone who expects to win.
Just a few hours later, the two took to the starting line
and the talk was over.
It was time for action.
(starting gun firing)
They both got solid starts out of the blocks.
Bailey ahead.
And then Johnson pulls up.
He's hurt, he's out, it's over.
As he crosses the finish line, Bailey looks back, confused.
He's a winner but it's not a satisfying win.
Not to worry.
The beef is super satisfying.
Because Bailey added insult to injury, literally.
- [Reporter] Are you disappointed he pulled up
that he didn't finish?
- He didn't pull up, he's a chicken.
- [Narrator] He accused Johnson of faking the injury.
And the press took it seriously.
Asking Johnson about it during
the post race press conference.
- [Reporter] Were you genuinely injured
or did you throw the race?
- Next question.
- [Narrator] Johnson took the high road in his response.
- That shows a lot about what kind of person he is.
I'm gonna show you the kind of person I am.
I'm not gonna address that.
- [Narrator] But he doesn't deny it.
So was he faking?
Let's go to the tape.
Okay, Bailey is definitely in the lead
before Johnson shows any sign of muscle duress.
Then Johnson grabs his left quad and then
a few steps later he pulls up.
Okay, to support Bailey's position.
Even before the injury, Johnson does not look
like he's gonna win.
He doesn't grab his leg until Bailey's about
a meter in front of him.
And in a short sprint a meter is a lot to make up.
But, to support Johnson's side of things
he looks hurt.
He limps off the track with help.
He can barely sit down.
If he's faking, he's a really good actor.
And yes he did have a bit of a TV career after retirement.
But he was playing himself.
Plus, if Johnson was faking, he was really, really committed
because he missed most of the '97 season with this injury.
Whether or not you believe Johnson was really injured,
Donovan Bailey won the race.
He took the title of world's fastest man
and the one million.
While we may never know if Bailey could beat
a healthy Johnson, Johnson seemed resigned
to the results.
- Everyone is always entitled to their opinion
and you know, I can't do anything about that.
- [Narrator] No rematch was scheduled.
The beef was basically over, until.
Two years later Maurice Greene was
the fastest man in the world
as he beat Bailey's 100 meter record
with a time of 9.79.
And most interesting to our story,
Greene ran not just the 100 but also the 200.
He was slated to race Michael Johnson
in the 200 at the Sydney Olympic trials.
Johnson wasn't getting a Bailey rematch
but he was getting to once again run against
the 100 world record holder.
AKA, the world's fastest man.
The last time these two were supposed to race
Johnson dropped out with an injury.
And Greene called him a faker.
Whether it's true or not, being accused
of faking an injury twice by two different guys
well it starts undermine your reputation.
It makes people wonder.
So Johnson wasn't about to drop out
of his next race with Greene for any reason.
Even though he was concerned about his quad.
This race ended up being even more anticlimactic.
Johnson pulled up and so did Greene.
- [Commentator] Johnson's gone, oh Johnson's gone.
And so has Maurice Greene!
The two principals have gone.
- [Narrator] But hey, nobody accused Johnson
of faking this time.
Small solace for Johnson who risked his health going into
the Sydney Olympics just to avoid being accused
of faking an injury.
Shortly after the trials he was done
with the 200, for good.
And it's Greene's fault.
And it's a little bit this guy's fault too.
I mean, he invented calling Johnson a faker.
The title of world's fastest man is unofficial.
And in a sport that has such definitive marks
of greatness like gold medals and world records,
you might think an unofficial title couldn't spur much beef.
But it was more than the title of world's fastest man
that these two wanted.
Donovan was beefing for respect.
He was beefing for his country.
Tired of being over shadowed and infuriated
when winning didn't seem to shine light on him.
Michael was beefing because someone challenged
the idea that he deserved the special treatment he got.
He was at his peak.
If people wanted to put him on a pedestal
why should he step down without a fight?
Time seems to have taken care of what
a head to head race could not.
The beef between Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson
is basically over now.
Yes, on the 20th anniversary of the showdown,
Donovan tweeted a bit aggressively.
But Johnson didn't even reply.
And in recent interviews Bailey says
he has no hard feelings.
Johnson doesn't even do interviews about it.
Although, he does elude to the more flattering parts
of the beef in his ad for the Nike running app.
I wonder if Donovan Bailey knows about this ad?
Thanks for watching, go ahead and like
and subscribe for fun.
Since you're still here why don't you try
this other head to head beef.
It's an MMA beef so you know it gets violent.
And if you're a track head we have
the rewinder of the world's fastest mile.
Have a good time.
(light music)