These are the official results of the Women's 3000 metres event at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. The final, held on August 10, 1984, is still remembered because of the fall after 1700 metres of USA's Mary Decker after a collision with Zola Budd.
Prior to these Olympics, women had not been allowed to run long distance events. In 1928, a few women "failed" after the 800 metres and even that event was taken out of the Olympics until 1960. In 1972 the 1500 was added and in 1984 the 3000 and Marathon were new additions. World champion Mary Decker won the first heat to claim the new Olympic record. Maricica Puică improved upon the record in the third heat.
South African teenager Zola Budd had controversially obtained British citizenship to enter the Olympics. The Apartheid government of South Africa had been banned from worldwide competition. Budd had gained notoriety for beating the world record in the 5000 metres a year earlier in South Africa, a performance not recognized due to the ban. Budd, who ran barefoot, was essentially and unknown commodity on the world stage. Decker also was largely untested in domestic races and had relatively little experience running competitively in a crowd. In addition to being the American favorite in the race, this was a home town Olympics for Decker having grown up barely 50Km (33 miles) from the Coliseum.
From the gun, Decker went to the front, with Puică a metre back. Starting slower, Budd ran through the field to assume her position on Decker's shoulder 200 metres into the race. They ran in the same formation for three laps. With four laps to go, Wendy Sly moved forward to challenge for the lead next to Budd. Unrelated to Sly's move but at about the same time, Joan Hansen tripped on Aurora Cunha's back kick, taking Dianne Rodger down with her. Down the backstretch, the runners were three abreast with Budd emerging from the group with a slight lead. Coming of the turn, Budd moved toward the curb, Decker immediately behind her took an awkward step. Four steps later Decker tripped over Budd's legs again, this time falling into the infield grass. Budd also jumped awkwardly in front of Sly and Puică trying to hold her balance. As Decker rolled on the grass holding her left hip in pain, the crowd booed. Puică rushed around Budd into the lead, with Sly on her shoulder as the bewildered Budd lost ground for a moment. But Budd ran around Puică and Sly to again take the lead. Deeper in the pack, somehow Brigitte Kraus also fell into the infield and out of the race. With a lap and a half to go, Sly again edged her way around Budd and into the lead. While Sly and Budd wore the same uniform, they were essentially strangers and there was no effort to cooperate tactically. Puică followed Sly around Budd and with 500 metres to go, Budd began to lose contact. Sly took the bell with Puică on her shoulder. With 250 metres to go, Puică passed Sly and went into her finishing kick, separating from Sly. Lynn Williams caught Budd and moved into third position. Budd continued to fall back through the field as the other athletes were launching their finishing kicks. Puică extended her lead over Sly, Williams even further back in third. Amid the boos, Budd fizzled into seventh place. Out of 12 starters, 4 had fallen during the race.