The Men’s 400 meters at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics had an entry list of 76 competitors….requiring ten qualifying heats (76)….four quarterfinals (32)….and two semi-finals (16)….before the final (7) took off….as the 8th competitor JAM Bert Cameron….was unable to run after making history in his semifinal heat…..so, I’ll give the legendary Jamaican 400 m sprinter some love.
Bertland “Bert” Cameron is a retired Jamaican sprinter who mainly competed over 400 meter dash…..representing Jamaica at three consecutive Olympics…..Moscow, Los Angeles & Seoul. Cameron won the 400 m title at the first World Championships in Helsinki in 1983….he also won the 1978 Commonwealth Games champion in the event. He helped the Jamaican runners to a silver medal in the 4×400 meters relay at the 1988 Seoul Olympics…while carrying the Jamaican flag at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California….and was chosen as the Jamaica Sportsperson of the year three times consecutively from 1981 to 1983.
The lane assignments for this ever were as follows…..Lane 1 – USA Antonio McKay…Lane 2 – NGR Sunday Uti….Lane 3 – NGR Innocent Egbunike….Lane 4 – Alonzo Babers….Lane 5 – AUS Darren Clark….Lane 6 – USA Sunder Nix…Lane 7 – CIV Gabriel Tiacoh….Lane 8 – JAM Bert Cameron (scratch)….for a really good highly contested race….with the Ivory Coast Gabriel Tiacoh becoming the first ever track and field medal winner by winning the bronze in this race.
