Zola Pieterse (nee Budd; born 26 May 1966) is a middle-distance and long-distance runner. She competed at the 1984 Olympic Games for Great Britain and the 1992 Olympic Games for South Africa, both times in the 3000 metres. In 1984 (unratified) and 1985, she broke the world record in the women's 5000 metres. She was also a two-time winner at the World Cross Country Championships (1985-1986).
The Daily Mail, a British tabloid newspaper, persuaded Budd's father to encourage her to apply for British citizenship, on the grounds that her grandfather was British, to circumvent the international sporting boycott of South Africa, so that she could compete in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. With a strong push from the Daily Mail, British citizenship was granted in short order and she moved to Guildford. Her application and arrival was controversial due to her acquiring a passport under preferential circumstances. Groups supporting the abolition of apartheid campaigned vociferously and effectively to highlight the special treatment she received; other applicants had to wait sometimes years to be granted citizenship, if at all. Shortly afterwards, Budd was forced to pull out of a 1500 metres race in Crawley, Sussex, when the town council withdrew their invitation at short notice. The race was part of the inaugural event for the town's new Bewbush Leisure Centre and Mayor Alf Pegler said members of the council had expressed misgivings that the local significance of the event would be overshadowed by "political connotations and anti-apartheid demonstrators". She ran her first competitive race on the cinder track at Central Park in Dartford, Kent, covering 3000m in 9 mins. 2.6 seconds in a race shown live on the BBC's Grandstand programme. She ran in further races in Britain, including the UK Championships 1500m (won in 4 mins. 4 secs.) and the 3000m in the UK Olympic trials, which she won in 8 mins. 40 secs., earning a place on the British Olympic team. In the 2000m at Crystal Palace in July 1984 she set a new world record of 5 mins. 33.15 secs. Commenting during the race for the BBC, David Coleman exclaimed, "The message will now be flashed around the world - Zola Budd is no myth." In Britain, Budd trained at Aldershot, Farnham and District Athletics Club.
when did she arrive to britain?
1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. With a strong push from the Daily Mail, British citizenship was granted in short order and she moved to Guildford. 1984 1984
1984