“Every Time He Steps Up, I Knock Him Down” — Donovan Bailey on Michael Johnson
Donovan Bailey at “The Powells” podcast
The World’s Fastest Man
When Donovan Bailey was asked by “The Powells” how his rivalry with Michael Johnson started, he reacted with a laugh:
“There was no rivalry then or now. Even worse than no rivalry. It’s not a rivalry if every time he steps up, I knock him down.”
For Bailey, the so-called “rivalry” with Michael Johnson was one-sided from the start. “I’m the only one in Olympic history to break the 100m World Record and somehow not be recognised as the fastest man alive.
“NBC started this, not me,” Bailey says. “They kept on saying, ‘Johnson is the fastest man.’ And then Johnson, he just bought into it. To this day, I represent terrible days at his office.”
The World’s Fastest Man: Donovan Bailey vs Michael Johnson
1994: The First Duel in Duisburg, Germany
In fact, the first time Bailey and Johnson faced off was in 1994 at a meet in Duisburg, Germany. Bailey recalls it with a smile. “Michael decided to run the 100m,” he says. “My agent tells me, ‘Oh, Johnson’s running the 100 finals, but he’s skipping the heats. He’s sitting in the stands, watching us run.’ I’m like, alright.”
Bailey didn’t just win that day; he dominated.
“I murdered them”
“It was 10.03 in negative wind, second place was like 10.20. Johnson clocked 10.38. It was no contest. Johnson was a "10.1 guy at best in the 100m. He’s one of the best in the world at speed endurance, sure. World Record in the 200, World Record in the 400 – but 100? Zero chance,” Bailey said.
Atlanta 1996
Fast forward to 1996, the Atlanta Olympics. Donovan Bailey shattered the 100m World Record with a time of 9.84 seconds, while Michael Johnson broke the 200m World Record at 19.32. Bailey was sure he was the fastest man in the world. But then NBC aired a so-called “voodoo math”: If you split Johnson’s 200m time, you’d get 9.66 — faster than Bailey’s 9.84.
To Bailey, this was “just business” for the media. “I got off the plane from Texas, broke a World Record, and took the air out of the stadium. But they needed to hype up Johnson — the hometown star. I get it, from a media perspective. But facts are facts,” Bailey says.
“They’re hosting the Olympics; they’ve got to make Johnson the star. But that doesn’t change the fact that I was way better.”
The Challenge of the Champions: Donovan Bailey turning back for Michael Johnson
The $2 Million 150m Race
Thanks to the media attention, promoters were able to organise a 150m race at Toronto’s SkyDome in 1997 with a prize pot of $2 million — $500,000 guaranteed for each athlete and an additional $1 million going to the winner. Numbers that nowadays, almost three decades later, are unheard of. The stakes were high, and the hype was real: 48,000 fans packed into the SkyDome, with millions more tuning in worldwide.
Bailey exploded off the line quickly closing in on Johnson within the first 15 strides. “Eighty meters gone, and it was all over,” reporters described. Johnson — feeling the heat — pulled up with what he claimed was a cramp. Bailey charged through to the finish line, clocking 14.99 and turned to see Johnson limping behind him.
At “The Powells” podcast Bailey admitted that the 150m race served its purpose, primarily adding a massive payday to his bank account but also comfirming his place as the true fastest man on the planet.
According to Bailey, real sprint rivalries were the likes of Asafa Powell versus Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay. “That’s a rivalry. You know, where on any day, one could win or lose, depending on who got enough sleep or has a little twinge in the hamstring. With Johnson and me? No contest.”
Bailey’s Dream Lineup for a 100m Final
Ending the podcast, the Powells took off some heat and asked Bailey who he would like to line up against if he could choose any athlete. He would wish for all greats across eras, looking back to all past champions including Powell who held the World Record.
“I mean, Linford, of course. I mean, Usain. I mean, like Jesse Owens ran on a dirt track in front of Hitler. You know what I mean? […] Like 80,000 people in Berlin and there's Hitler there and you've got a black man who was considered part human dropping licks on everybody. I'm just saying, so I'm talking about like how incredibly mentally sound this guy would be. I would want to be at my very best. And then my first thought would be: These are all the past champions!”
If your track and field knowledge goes back as far as 1996, were you team Bailey or Johnson? Let us know in the comments!
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