- 16 May 08, 06:00 AM
Which duo tops your list of greatest sporting rivalries?
Perhaps it's the Bjorn Borg v John McEnroe tennis duel from the early 1980s, Formula One's Alain Prost v Ayrton Senna of the late '80s or the golf shoot-outs between Jack Nicklaus v Arnold Palmer in the '60s.
For me, it's the middle-distance battles of Britain's Seb Coe and Steve Ovett in the late '70s and early '80s.
The pair rarely met in international competition, but they traded world records like kids swap football stickers - most memorably in the mile, where they combined to lower the world best three times in 10 remarkable days in 1981.
In my eyes, Coe had the edge - in a remarkable six-week spell during 1979 he became the first man to hold the 800m, 1500m and mile records at the same time.
At the 1980 Moscow Olympics Ovett drew first blood, outsprinting Coe to take 800m gold, but he suffered his first defeat in three years over 1500m when Coe kicked off the final bend to win.
After the Games, Ovett took the mile and 1500m record before that extraordinary summer in 1981 which ended with Coe again holding the mile mark.
Coe also broke his own 800m record in 1981 to set a world best of 1:41.73 - it would stand for 16 years and remains the British record.
The 1984 Games in Los Angeles effectively signalled the end of their rivalry.
Coe became the only man to win successive 1500m titles, out-running new rival Steve Cram, but he again missed out on the 800m gold medal, beaten by Brazil's Joaquim Cruz.
Ovett meanwhile, spent two days in hospital after finishing last in the 800m and collapsing. He returned for the 1500m but was forced to pull out on the final lap when lying in fourth place.
The duo are now firm friends, but whose side were you on back then?
And just which personal sporting rivalry do you think has been the best?
BBC Sport The Olympic Broadcaster
React to comment, analysis and opinion from BBC Sport experts at Beijing's Olympics and Paralympics.
Our bloggers in Beijing
Interactive Beijing map
Meet Monkey
Latest Photos
Clicking on any of these photos will take you to an external site.
Recent Comments
- ms1mm0 on Archery concerns need addressing
- govspin on London confidential
- Ron_Arne_Riise on BBC reporters pick out their Olympics highlights
- racketuser on Hunt is on for Paralympic talent
- SimonTheKid on Taekwondo needs to move with the times
Topics
Podcast
Download or subscribe to this programme's podcast
Fun and Games
Olympic standard
Do you have what it takes to excel at Denise Lewis' heptathlon?
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
Ovett pulled out after the bell in the 1500mts not after two laps!
Complain about this comment
I don't subscribe to fatuous 'who's you're fave' exchanges, nor do I vote in those ridiculous 'top 100' programmes which all television channels seem to be obsessed with. However, the mere mention of one of the greatest and inspiring rivalries which not only British, but world athletics has enjoyed, brings back warm and vivid memories.
Coe versus Ovett. It was the stuff of classical mythology. The battle of the Titans. We in Britain who follow athletics keenly were aware of the prowess of Seb and Steve from their junior days in the early and mid-seventies, when they swept aside all-comers: Seb in the north and Steve in the south, although there was nothing of the North South Divide about them, both coming from close middle class families.
The international athletics fraternity started to take notice when they started winning junior and senior international events and ticking off age records.
The world had to wait until Moscw 1980, by which time it was a given that a British athlete would stand atop the podium in both the 800m and 1500m. The only question was: would either do the double? It was that debate which spawned the 'rivalry' in the world's media and ensured that the men's middle distance races would be the headline events for the Moscow Olympics. People all round the world who knew nothing of athletics, were debating 'The Two Big Ones', creating unprecedented popular interest in the summer sport: Something for which the soviet authorities were extremely grateful, as an increasing number of nations (spearheaded enthusiastically by USA at the height of the cold war) had decided to boycott the games in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Twenty-odd years later, of course, it's open season for such activity.
It was extraordinary to see all the other middle distance competitors, standing in groups at the training and warm up track, watching in open-mouthed awe as Coe and Ovett went through their regular routines with their personal coaches.
None of them had done, or even seen, such intensive training before. Watching Seb Coe doing EIGHT 200m intervals (sprinting 200, jogging 200, sprinting 200, jogging 200...) without rest. What would they have thought had they seen him going through a similar progamme UPHILL at home in Sheffield?
Steve Ovett was equally industrious and impressive, yet always appeared more laid back and relaxed than the intense Coe (who can forget Ovett's trademark waves to the crowd, not as he was crossing the line, but as he was about to OVERTAKE his rivals 100m from it with the certainty he would win?).
The psychological battle with their rivals in Moscow was won a week before the heats began.
Everything thereafter is well-documented history. It was the apex of achievement in British middle-distance running and should have started the revival of a great tradition going back three quarters of a century, but sadly, after the almost as great careers of Steve Cram and Peter Elliot, who were already competing youthfully in senior races in 1980, interest and commitment by youngsters petered out.
Now with the dominance of African nations at every distance over 400m, we are unlikely to see such British or European exploits again.
Complain about this comment
James - my mistake - apologies, it is now rectified.
Thanks!
Complain about this comment
Slightly pedantic Mr Montgomery. Scrivener did say two laps, but the 1500 is only three and three quarter laps. Within 600m of the start, Ovett was clearly struggling with his breathing in the appalling fug that Los Angeles calls air. You are absolutely right, he did jog off the track at the start of the bend after the bell, but he had only completed two laps: the third would end at the start of the back straight.
I'm sure that, as another admirer of the great man, you still wish he hadn't started the race, because he'd been suffering in the heavily polluted air for more than a day before the start.
But also, like me, I'll bet you remember him grinning his way to the line in Moscow more readily than you do that awful, pain-filled but dignified step off in LA.
Complain about this comment
Ovett always seemed the more personable one to me. Steve also seemed to enjoy the running as well as the winning, so I always yelled for him. I loved his stiff back running style of his that made it look effortless when he blew by everyone at the 100m mark usually right after his cheeky wave to the crowd.
They were probably the best days in British athletics.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
A golden era - brings a tingle to the back of the neck just thinking back to some of those races.
As characters they seemed like Tiswas and Swap Shop - Chris Tarrant and Noel Edmonds - doing the same job in such different ways.
Yet despite the different approaches - Coe methodical and Ovett spirited (or 'cocky' as my Granny would say), both had a grace on the track that separated them from their contempories, and pretty much all runners since.
(apologies to whoever i offended with earlier comment)
Complain about this comment
In my opinion deep down in Mr Coe's head ! he knows well that Steve Ovet was a better runner, smarter, and cooler ...I am sure when Steve stands behand him today !Seb gets very nervous !! he still has not recover from that defeat in the 800m final in Moscow from the way he talks about their rivalry .
There are also doubts about Coe's sudden peak of form during late 70's and early 80's ...I dont have any evidence of course but this speculation has been going on for many years in the world of middle distance running.
Complain about this comment
Seb Coe was the best of them all. But Ovett didn't exactly play second fiddle. At Moscow however they both go it wrong. Coe was too late in putting out his devastating kick in the 800m whilst Ovett just couldn't respond to Coe's kick in the 1500m.
How I yearn for those days of middle distance running. The talent on show was marvellous. Apart from those two there were also John Walker, Sydnee Maree, Mike Boit, Scott (American?) and then Steve Cram, Peter Elliot, Hans- Peter Herold, Joaquim Cruz and Said Aouita. Today we don't have that kind of rivalries in the middle distance races.
As for Coe peaking 'suddenly' for a few years as insinuated by a know-not, well so did Winston Churchill for a few years (1940 to 1945) to be precise before he lost his way among the voters. It happens all the time, er, there is a thing called peaking for everybody.
Complain about this comment
Slightly off the point, but (as something of a middle distance expert) to this day I remain convinced that Coe would have won the 1500 in 1988 as well if only he'd been picked. He was a bit past his best then but the final ended up being a woeful affair (it was the only race the winner, Peter Rono I think, ever won) due to the main challengers either being absent or weakended by injury. Though Coe had run dreadfully at the selection trails, he was in fine fettle at around about the time of the Olympics and with his experience and sprint finish surely would have prevailed...
In actual fact the selectors decided to leave him at home (ironically, he had nearly missed out 84 when Peter Elliott beat him in the trials).
Complain about this comment
Grittylancan !
You can only peak for few weeks not for a few years !! athletes are made of tissure, bone, cells, muscles, nerves .... they are not rebots.
As for your comments about me being a know-not about the sport, well I can only answer you by saying I raced with and againt 3 olympic gold medalist, I am also a qualified middle distance coach.
Seb Coe had a blood disorder in early 80's which is a fact, his illness and his sudden peak of form rised my eye brows ...it is healthy to have doubts I believe but I do understand the implication of accusing a powerful man as he is today .
Complain about this comment
Having met both Coe and Ovett I have a big advantage over some of the other commenters.
At the time of their races my views were very much influenced by the media coverage who portrayed Coe as the squeaky clean good guy and Ovett as the brash arrogant baddie. The media got it very wrong.
Ovett is a fantastic guy and a good laugh too if I had known that back in 1980 then I would have been thrilled by Ovetts win in the 800 metres rather than disappointed that Coe lost.
Coe was a speed machine (and as squeaky clean as his image). His 800 metre record was an incredible achievement and it will be years before any Brit gets within a second of it.
Oh how we could do with such a rivalry among the Brits these days to once again bring some life to the appalingly poor quality UK Mens Middle Distance running scene.
Coe and Ovett would still be competitive with all the Kenyans and Morrocans of today. They deserve every praise they still get.
On a sad note a bronze statue of Ovett that was put up in his home town of Brighton was stolen leaving just his ankle behind. These are sad times indeed for Mens running in the UK.
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS