Budd, Zola (1966-…), a South African-born athlete, was one of the outstanding distance runners of the late 1900’s. However, she is best remembered for her controversial appearance as a British team member in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984.
Budd was born on May 26, 1966, in Bloemfontein. A natural athlete, she always ran barefoot. In January 1984, at the age of 17, she set an unofficial world record for the women’s 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) of 15 minutes 1.83 seconds in South Africa. Because of its policy of apartheid (enforced racial segregation), South Africa was at that time barred from international sports competitions, including the Olympic Games. Budd’s grandfather was British, and she was persuaded to apply for British citizenship to qualify for the 1984 Olympics. In April 1984, her citizenship application was granted, and she was selected for the British Olympic athletics (track and field) squad.
At the Olympics in Los Angeles, Budd ran in the 3,000 meters (1.86 miles). During the finals of the race, she accidentally became entangled with the United States favorite Mary Decker (now Mary Decker Slaney). Decker was put out of the race with an injury, and Budd failed to win a medal.
Budd was world cross-country champion in 1985-1986. In 1985, she established a new world record of 14 minutes 48.07 seconds for the 5,000 meters in London. She also won the 3,000 meters in the 1985 European Cup. She returned to South Africa in 1988 and competed for South Africa in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. After her marriage to Mike Pieterse in 1989, she ran under her married name. She wrote an autobiography, Running Barefoot (1997).
