Cram, Decker-Slaney honoured for 1985
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from December 1985.
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Cram had a sensational season, smashing three wold records -- the 1,500 meters, mile and 2,000 meters -- in just 20 days and almost snatching a fourth when he narrowly missed countryman Sebastian Coe's 1,000-meter world best.
Slaney was unbeaten throughout the season from 800 to 5,000 meters and broke the women's mile record in Zurich on Aug. 21. She also won the overall individual title at the inaugural IAAF-Mobil Grand Prix.
Second in the men's category was Boris Becker, West Germany's talented tennis ace who burst onto the international scene by becoming the youngest player ever to win the men's singles crown at Wimbledon. Becker was just 17 when he beat Kevin Curren in the final of the world's most prestigious tournament at the beginning of July.
In third place was America's undisputed world middleweight boxing champion, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who sensationally knocked out Tommy Hearns in three rounds in Las Vegas in April. The fight was transmitted live around the world to millions of boxing fans. Fourth in the men's category was French soccer star Michel Platini, arguably the world's most skilful midfielder whose talents will be on show at next summer's World Cup finals in Mexico.
Said Aouita, the talented Moroccan runner who broke two world records -- including the 1,500 meters taken earlier in the season by Cram -- was fifth.
Runner-up to Slaney in the women's category was the prolific East German runner Marita Koch, who set a new 400-meter world record in Canberra, Australia, in October, and was also the top-ranked athlete at 200 meters.
Third was Switzerland's World Cup alpine skiing champion, Michela Figini, who also won the downhill gold medal at the world championships. She was followed by Norway's long distance and marathon ace Ingrid Kristiansen, with Martina Navratilova, the world's no. 1 women's tennis player, in fifth place. The top ten sportsmen were:
1. Steve Cram, Britain, track and field
2. Boris Becker, West Germany, tennis
3. Marvin Hagler, U.S., boxing
4. Michel Platini, France, soccer
5. Said Aouita, morocco, track and field
6. Alain prost, France, motor racing
7. Matt Biondi, U.S., swimming
8. Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland, alpine skiing 9. Michael Spinks, U.S., boxing 10.Freddy Spencer, U.S., motor cycling
The Top Ten sportswomen: 1. Mary Decker Slaney, U.S., track and field 2. Marita Koch, East Germany, track and field 3. Michela Figini, Switzerland, alpine skiing 4. Ingrid Kristiansen, norway, track and field 5. Martina Navratilova, U.S., tennis 6. Stefka Kostadinova, Bulgaria, track and field 7. Chris Evert Lloyd, U.S., tennis 8. Hana Mandlikova, Czechoslovakia, tennis 9. Kornelia Sirth, East Germany, swimming 10.Elena Shoushounova, Soviet Union, gymnastics
