Jules Ladoumegue
Encyclopedia
Jules Ladoumègue was a French
middle-distance runner. He became a running star as the sport enjoyed a huge resurgence at the start of the Great Depression
, fueled in large part by newsreel
coverage. But his career was abruptly cut short when he was banned for life from track for payments he received for several races.
. He made his first impression in the track world by finishing third in the 1926 French 5000 m championship while still a teenager. Later that year, he improved his 5000 m time with a 15:11 3/5 run against Great Britain
, finishing the year ranked 20th in the event.
Despite his success, Ladoumègue was discouraged by a French track expert who said his long strides were not suited for long distances, so he moved down to the 1500 m in 1927. However, he did not find much success that year, running a best of only 4:03.6 and finishing sixth in the French championships.
In 1928, he started to run for Stade Français under famed coach Charles Poulenard
, and his improvement was dramatic. On 3 June, Ladoumègue ran 3:58.0, then 3:55.2 a week later. Two weeks after that, he ran 15:03.2 over 5000 m. Then, on 1 July, won the Paris championships in 3:54.6, followed by a victory in the French championships in 3:52.2. The latter time ranked Ladoumègue as third-fastest all-time over the distance and a favourite at the 1928 Olympics
in Amsterdam
.
runners: Eino Purje
and Harri Larva. Larva and Purje exchanged leads early on, with Ladoumègue in the pack behind. After 800 m, Ladoumègue chased down the leading Finns and on the backstretch of the final lap, took the lead from Purje. As Purje faded, Larva pursued Ladoumègue. Into the homestrech, Larva pulled even, but Ladoumègue held his ground. Then, with 20 meters remaining, Larva pulled ahead. Ladoumègue, seeing it was hopeless, eased up and finished second.
, France
, Ellis defeated him 4:04 to 4:04.2. Ladoumègue suffered the same result a week later in Berlin
against his Olympic rival Larva.
By 1930, however, it was clear that Ladoumègue could win a race in any manner he chose. On 13 July he ran 3:53.8, then he avenged the humiliation he received the year before from Ellis by defeating him over the mile 4:15.2 to 4:20.2 in London
on 2 August. Reginald Thomas was second at 4:17.2.
A series of races followed, including a convincing defeat of 1500 m record-holder Otto Peltzer
3:53.7 to 3:59.0. Ladoumègue now felt ready to attempt to break Peltzer's 3:51.0 world record.
The attempt was made 3 October on the 450-metre track at Stade Jean Bouin, near Ladoumègue's home in Paris
. He aimed for 500-metre split times of 1:16, 1:17 and 1:17, which would total 3:50, a new world record. Séra Martin and Jean Keller were pace-setters, and included in the field was an Italian then considered to be a mediocre runner - Luigi Beccali
.
Keller led the field through 400 m in 58.6 and 500 m in 1:13.4. Sensing he was running too fast, Keller slowed but Ladoumègue, feeling fresh, yelled "Plus vite, plus vite!" Keller hit 800 m in 2:00.4 and dropped out. Martin took over the pace-setting chore, and hit 1000 m in 2:33.0, exactly on schedule. Martin continued for only a few more metres before dropping out. At the bell, Ladoumègue and Beccali were alone. Ladoumègue increased the pace, hitting 1200 m in 3:05.0 - 1.0 seconds faster than Peltzer's record pace, but Ladoumègue feared he lacked Peltzer's kick so he ran hard all the way.
He struggled through the final homestretch, later saying "My legs were like lead in that final lap." He crossed the line and three watches recorded his time as 3:49 1/5, two at 3:49.0. The slower time was taken as the official time, and Ladoumègue not only had the record, he became the first sub-3:50 1500 m runner.
He repeated his record-setting ways by running the 1000 m in 2:23.6 on the same Paris
track 19 October.
In 1931, his early season was relatively pedestrian as the fastest 1500 m race he ran was 3:58.0 by July. But on 2 July, he set his third world record, this time in the 2000 m with a time of 5:21.8.
After defeating Thomas 3:53.6 to 3:55.0 over the 1500 m on 2 August, he raced Purje, whose 2000 m record he had broken, over 3/4 mile on 13 September. In an exiting race which saw Ladoumègue catching Purje at the finish, both runners broke the existing world record with a 3:00.6 performance, Ladoumègue winning by a foot.
For his next feat, he decided to attempt the mile record on the same weekend he broke the 1,500 m record the year before - on the first Sunday in October. Running in Stade Jean Bouin in Paris with six other Frenchmen, Ladoumègue followed 800 m runner René Morel as he clocked 60.8 for 440 yards and 2:04.2 for 880 yards. Morel passed 1000 m in 2:34.6, slowed, and Ladoumègue was alone at the bell lap. Ladoumègue hit the 3/4 mile mark at 3:08.0, 1.3 seconds behind the pace Paavo Nurmi
ran when he set his record in the mile in 1923. But Ladoumègue had conserved his strength for the final quarter, a strategy which delivered him the 1,500 m record the year before.
At the 1500 m point in the race, Ladoumègue was at 3:52.4, now 0.6 seconds faster than Nurmi. When he crossed the finish line, the clock stopped at 4:09.2, a new world record
, the first time 4:10 had been broken.
Ladoumègue was now a national hero and a clear favourite to win gold in the 1500 m at the Los Angeles Olympic Games
. But the French Federation, to the disgust of the French public, banned him for life because he had allegedly received payoffs for several of his races. His career thus ended.
In 1955 Ladoumègue published an autobiography, entitled Dans ma foulée. He died in Paris
, Île-de-France
in 1973.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
middle-distance runner. He became a running star as the sport enjoyed a huge resurgence at the start of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, fueled in large part by newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
coverage. But his career was abruptly cut short when he was banned for life from track for payments he received for several races.
Early running career
Ladoumègue was born at La Bastide, BordeauxBordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
. He made his first impression in the track world by finishing third in the 1926 French 5000 m championship while still a teenager. Later that year, he improved his 5000 m time with a 15:11 3/5 run against Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, finishing the year ranked 20th in the event.
Despite his success, Ladoumègue was discouraged by a French track expert who said his long strides were not suited for long distances, so he moved down to the 1500 m in 1927. However, he did not find much success that year, running a best of only 4:03.6 and finishing sixth in the French championships.
In 1928, he started to run for Stade Français under famed coach Charles Poulenard
Charles Poulenard
Charles Alexandre Casimir Poulenard was a French athlete who mainly competed in the men's 400 metres during his career....
, and his improvement was dramatic. On 3 June, Ladoumègue ran 3:58.0, then 3:55.2 a week later. Two weeks after that, he ran 15:03.2 over 5000 m. Then, on 1 July, won the Paris championships in 3:54.6, followed by a victory in the French championships in 3:52.2. The latter time ranked Ladoumègue as third-fastest all-time over the distance and a favourite at the 1928 Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
1928 Olympics
The Olympic 1500 m final was held on 2 August. In the end, the battle came down to a race between Ladoumègue and two FinnishFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
runners: Eino Purje
Eino Purje
Eino Alfred Purje was a middle-distance runner from Finland, who won the bronze medal in the 1500 metres at the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam, Netherlands....
and Harri Larva. Larva and Purje exchanged leads early on, with Ladoumègue in the pack behind. After 800 m, Ladoumègue chased down the leading Finns and on the backstretch of the final lap, took the lead from Purje. As Purje faded, Larva pursued Ladoumègue. Into the homestrech, Larva pulled even, but Ladoumègue held his ground. Then, with 20 meters remaining, Larva pulled ahead. Ladoumègue, seeing it was hopeless, eased up and finished second.
World records
Stung by criticism that he lacked the kick to win close races after his Olympic disappointment, Ladoumègue sought to prove the experts wrong. Accordingly, he ran in several races in 1929 where he allowed the pace to slow, waiting for the homestretch to drive for the finish. But when he tried that strategy against Cyril Ellis on 28 July at ColombesColombes
Colombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:On 13 March 1896, 17% of the territory of Colombes was detached and became the commune of Bois-Colombes ....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Ellis defeated him 4:04 to 4:04.2. Ladoumègue suffered the same result a week later in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
against his Olympic rival Larva.
By 1930, however, it was clear that Ladoumègue could win a race in any manner he chose. On 13 July he ran 3:53.8, then he avenged the humiliation he received the year before from Ellis by defeating him over the mile 4:15.2 to 4:20.2 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 2 August. Reginald Thomas was second at 4:17.2.
A series of races followed, including a convincing defeat of 1500 m record-holder Otto Peltzer
Otto Peltzer
Otto Paul Eberhard Peltzer was a German middle distance runner who set world records in the 1920s. Over the 800 m Peltzer improved Ted Meredith's long-standing record by 0.3 seconds to 1:51.6 min in London in July 1926...
3:53.7 to 3:59.0. Ladoumègue now felt ready to attempt to break Peltzer's 3:51.0 world record.
The attempt was made 3 October on the 450-metre track at Stade Jean Bouin, near Ladoumègue's home in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He aimed for 500-metre split times of 1:16, 1:17 and 1:17, which would total 3:50, a new world record. Séra Martin and Jean Keller were pace-setters, and included in the field was an Italian then considered to be a mediocre runner - Luigi Beccali
Luigi Beccali
Luigi Beccali was an Italian athlete, winner of 1500 metres at the 1932 Summer Olympics.Born in Milan, Luigi Beccali, as a youth, was fascinated by cycling and track and field athletics, but choose the latter, when he met the coach Dino Nai.Luigi Beccali, an Italian champion in 1500 m from 1928 to...
.
Keller led the field through 400 m in 58.6 and 500 m in 1:13.4. Sensing he was running too fast, Keller slowed but Ladoumègue, feeling fresh, yelled "Plus vite, plus vite!" Keller hit 800 m in 2:00.4 and dropped out. Martin took over the pace-setting chore, and hit 1000 m in 2:33.0, exactly on schedule. Martin continued for only a few more metres before dropping out. At the bell, Ladoumègue and Beccali were alone. Ladoumègue increased the pace, hitting 1200 m in 3:05.0 - 1.0 seconds faster than Peltzer's record pace, but Ladoumègue feared he lacked Peltzer's kick so he ran hard all the way.
He struggled through the final homestretch, later saying "My legs were like lead in that final lap." He crossed the line and three watches recorded his time as 3:49 1/5, two at 3:49.0. The slower time was taken as the official time, and Ladoumègue not only had the record, he became the first sub-3:50 1500 m runner.
He repeated his record-setting ways by running the 1000 m in 2:23.6 on the same Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
track 19 October.
In 1931, his early season was relatively pedestrian as the fastest 1500 m race he ran was 3:58.0 by July. But on 2 July, he set his third world record, this time in the 2000 m with a time of 5:21.8.
After defeating Thomas 3:53.6 to 3:55.0 over the 1500 m on 2 August, he raced Purje, whose 2000 m record he had broken, over 3/4 mile on 13 September. In an exiting race which saw Ladoumègue catching Purje at the finish, both runners broke the existing world record with a 3:00.6 performance, Ladoumègue winning by a foot.
For his next feat, he decided to attempt the mile record on the same weekend he broke the 1,500 m record the year before - on the first Sunday in October. Running in Stade Jean Bouin in Paris with six other Frenchmen, Ladoumègue followed 800 m runner René Morel as he clocked 60.8 for 440 yards and 2:04.2 for 880 yards. Morel passed 1000 m in 2:34.6, slowed, and Ladoumègue was alone at the bell lap. Ladoumègue hit the 3/4 mile mark at 3:08.0, 1.3 seconds behind the pace Paavo Nurmi
Paavo Nurmi
Paavo Johannes Nurmi was a Finnish runner. Born in Turku, he was known as one of the "Flying Finns," a term given to him, Hannes Kolehmainen, Ville Ritola, and others for their distinction in running...
ran when he set his record in the mile in 1923. But Ladoumègue had conserved his strength for the final quarter, a strategy which delivered him the 1,500 m record the year before.
At the 1500 m point in the race, Ladoumègue was at 3:52.4, now 0.6 seconds faster than Nurmi. When he crossed the finish line, the clock stopped at 4:09.2, a new world record
World record progression for the mile run
The world record in the mile run is the best mark set by a male or female runner in the middle-distance track and field event. The IAAF is the official body which oversees the records. Hicham El Guerrouj is the current men's record holder with his time of 3:43.13 minutes, while Svetlana Masterkova...
, the first time 4:10 had been broken.
Ladoumègue was now a national hero and a clear favourite to win gold in the 1500 m at the Los Angeles Olympic Games
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
. But the French Federation, to the disgust of the French public, banned him for life because he had allegedly received payoffs for several of his races. His career thus ended.
In 1955 Ladoumègue published an autobiography, entitled Dans ma foulée. He died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
in 1973.