CREATE TABLE table_204_550 (id DECIMAL, "event" TEXT, "record" TEXT, "athlete" TEXT, "date" TEXT, "meet" TEXT, "place" TEXT)

which date comes before 12 march 1983 ?
SELECT "date" FROM table_204_550 WHERE id = (SELECT id FROM table_204_550 WHERE "date" = '12 march 1983') - 1
SELECT "date" FROM "table_204_550" WHERE "id" = (SELECT "id" FROM "table_204_550" WHERE "date" = '12 march 1983') - 1