Marie-José Pérec

Pérec is the long-levered counterpoint to Michael Johnson, who completed the same 200m and 400m double at Atlanta 1996. Tall and rangy, she covered ground with a flowing, long stride that looked unhurried even at full speed, especially down the back straight of the 400m. Three Olympic golds, the 1992 and 1996 400m and the 1996 200m, came from that rhythm rather than any explosive start.