Coe/Ovett

Micksaltydog

[@PNETriffid]

'Middle distance runners from opposite ends of the social spectrum'. Really? Coe was hardly an aristocrat, nor Ovett a chimney-sweep; this is a clear exaggeration.

[@Lebowski53]

Quite. This idea that Coe was a privileged fop is a pure fiction. He came from a fiercely determined middle-class background.

[@francishunt562]

@@Lebowski53 His father owned a middle size factory in Sheffield. Additionally he lived in a very affluent area of Sheffield. I know because I lived there at the time. When Coe ran for an MP in Falmouth/Camborne he made a big deal that his school was a comprehensive. It was after he left, but at the time Coe attended it was private, costing more than an average worker's yearly salary. So, yes Coe was privileged ; not an aristocrat I concede, but most certainly upper middle class at least.

[@us-Bahn]

@@francishunt562A private school doesn’t give you the fire & determination to become the top runner in the world. It’s a stupid argument.

[@johnmc3862]

The tabloids drummed it up and made a mint.

[@paulpurves484]

I can remember back in Ovetts pomp his parents bought him a Range Rover so hardly poor

[@user-ro7ee7]

Forever Steve Ovett... My favorite Great Runner Very-very good Video Thanks..

[@boxingjerapah]

Always loved Steve Ovett. Always respected Sebastian Coe.

[@markbailey1970]

Same here

[@matthewstylianou8363]

Always loved Coe and didn't like Ovett!

[@rajeshtr1736]

My favorite hero Steve ovett

[@damienabbott9805]

Steve Ovett was a natural born runner who would have gone on to win more medals had he not suffered that knee injury in 1981 and bronchitis going into the 1984 LA Olympics.

[@jasoncalderon9725]

I loved both of these Guys why not admire both their heroism for free along with Daley Thompson they made a Great British combination

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

Brighton a working class town? Really? Basildon, Rotherham, Bathgate, Wrexham, Dudley, Cumbernauld, Peckham, Port Talbot, yeh maybe, but Brighton? I doubt many people would call it working class, even back in the 70's and 80's.

[@BUICKv81]

In the 90s many used and ran...I know when I saw it !It's easy to imagine not to use even if you practice hard. Africans and others have been caught...even skiers have been caught -

[@stephenreeds3672]

Ever read Brighton Rock?

[@svenbartram2695]

I don't know a great deal about Brighton's history, but maybe more accurate would have been a working class family or working class part of town.

[@speedendurance]

@@stephenreeds3672 you mean the movie that was filmed in Eastbourne? 😁

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

Tbh although I was very young at lot of this political/background thing went way over my head. As a youngster the ONLY thing that mattered what was they did on the track, not class divide. As a kid you don't read the front pages of newspapers it's all about records and victories. the choice you had was exactly the same as whether you chose Best or Dalglish, Borg or McEnroe, Coe or Ovett and the feeling you got when you watched them. I chose the greatest runner of all time ...Sebastian Coe. At the time because of the rivalry you not only support your runner but you dislike the other. Now as a middle aged man I can appreciate the ability of both men and dream that maybe one day the UK will be privileged once again to have 2 such incredible athletes.

[@elizabethevelyn9761]

Ovett for me but I had Coes' training video.. I worked my training around it .. it got me to 3 54 sec for 1500m at 20.. then my body gave up! Nice while it lasted.. great days! Great rivalries.. sports today has no romance.. its hollow!

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

@@elizabethevelyn9761 You ran only 4 seconds outside the women's world record of today over 30 years ago? That puts you in the top 15 runs of the women's 1500 ever but your name isn't mentioned!!!

[@eightw5783]

I also chose Coe, handsome lived in my home city. I was wrong he was a bellend of the highest order whilst Ovett is a really nice guy.

[@chirawanphung]

@@KryptonitetoallBSthe disparity in times over 800/1500 metres between men and women was even greater in those days than it is today. So it would have been very possible for an accomplished schoolboy to beat a womens Olympic medallist in the late 70s or early 80s.

[@deano27671]

Some great and rare clips of races and interviews here! Thanks. My only criticism with the film makers is the whole 'socio-economic' cliche they've imposed on them. There were a lot more similarities than differences between them, and the idea that Ovett was working class and Coe 'a toff' is ridiculous. It's irresponsible for the film makers and some of the athletes interviewed to perpetuate a myth. Ovett went to Grammar school for goodness sake, and was an Art student. He was pretty much a full time athlete from the age of 19, not needing or wanting to work. Coe's father was born in a 2 up 2 down in the East End of London. He worked his way up to be the manager of a cutlery factory in Sheffield. Coe Jnr. went to a secondary modern comprehensive, worked his way through Uni and was a part time athlete (either studying or working for Sports Council & Loughborough Uni) for his entire career, except for 1980. Just because Coe worked hard to get a degree and spoke well, does not make him a toff. Absolutely ridiculous stereotyping.

[@laniakea2016]

Overt went to grammar school... U know they are free right?

[@deano27671]

Yes I went to a grammar school. They might be free but they are selective and far more middle class than a secondary modern comprehensive.

[@laniakea2016]

+deano27671 so did I. And there was a mix of all class types there. Your assumption that Ovett is from any particular class based upon his attendance at grammar school (or that he chose art) is a bit shaky. That's not say that the narrative in the video isn't wrong too. I agree with you on that. But i think it's wrong to assume too much from Ovett going to a grammar school.

[@neathletics2439]

+Daniel Haggerty The Coe 'toff' / Ovett 'working class' was a myth. As Deano says, they weren't that different. Slightly perhaps but not massively. Also, the idea of Coe as the Tory boy is wrong too. His Dad was a lifelong 'loony lefty' socialist. Peter Coe did fight in WW2, swearing allegiance to country but not King (He was also a Republican). So being a Tory was Seb's own crazy idea!

[@laniakea2016]

Seb was a Tory MP. Can't be that inaccurate to call him a Tory boy.

[@nsxperformance]

Gotta love forwarding through the adverts ahahaha great upload mate

[@RobertoMartinez-kv5tp]

Poetry in motion: Coe

[@flashman7612]

Beyer 2 seconds better than anything he had ever run before and he would never run like that again tells you only one thing...substance abuse without a doubt.

[@binkyxz3]

You have a test proving it ?

[@kevdean9967]

@@binkyxz3 Exactly. No proof put a sock in it !!!

[@gammonbaldy1765]

Was he East German?,

[@jontyarnold8522]

@@binkyxz3 it’s called common sense .......

[@binkyxz3]

@@jontyarnold8522 It's also a 1.89% improvement. Common sense tells me that small a gain is NOT proof of doping.

[@markjex9035]

Ovett was LOVED 🙆❤. . . Coe was Respected 🙆😐. . Says it All . 50 /50 split . Two of the Best . 🙆🙆

[@dps8435]

Remember as a teen picking the paper up and almost every couple of days they were smashing world records,incredible 4 or 5 weeks,front page almost every day.

[@archie6945]

I thought Ovett wanted to join the race in Zurich (where Coe set the 1500m record) but the organisers preferred a record attempt.

[@birendersinghsachan182]

Coe,Ovett and Cram were best in their times

[@fontane007]

I'd throw in Peter Elliott too!

[@whouster]

What a rivalry this was. Two of the greatest middle-distance runners in history, and everyone preferred one to the other. I was always a Steve Ovett fan because I found him the more likeable character. I'll never forget Moscow 1980 - Coe was favourite for the 800, and Ovett favourite for the 1500. Speaks volumes about the brilliance of the pair that they each won their least favoured event.

[@jakehaymes4438]

Yes, I was about 1p. My family were pro Coe. I liked SO more

[@rodneyallister9877]

I am now 80 years old veteran I was a club runner with Ron Hill Long Distance marathon and ultra for 30 years AAA. Overt what a Runner I raced against Steve Cram in the nationals Cross country Coe was professional Not AAA.?

[@Revolver1981]

Yeah Coe is difficult to like. A smarmy smug bastard.

[@chrisjenkins4094]

Bloody great I remember nearly all these races...so great thank you

[@micksaltydog]

👍🏼😁

[@peteralainszpiriev4750]

Coe ,Ovett, Cram are gold. Reál Gold. Athletics as rare an best as Chess. Classics..Golf?

[@MrJeepsters]

Je me souviens des meeting de Zürich, Oslo et Bruxelles où, chacun battait le record du monde du 800 mètre.

[@basilcruncher]

Great stuff thank you. Any chance of posting the rest?

[@elizabethevelyn9761]

I think my wife taped this programme.. she's the best at forwarding through the programme!!

[@neilwallaceandlolawallace1969]

Loved them both...but always wanted ovett to win,soz seb

[@StarfieldRailway]

I love this stuff.

[@rhysnichols8608]

2 great beasts

[@matthewstylianou8363]

Sebastian Coe the Goat!

[@colinme2672]

Ovett for me. More natural talent.

[@mikem9252]

2 olympics - coe goes 3-1 vs ovett , wins 2 gold and 2 silver vs ovett's 1 gold and 1 bronze -- i do admire ovett for trying to battle thru resp issues in the l.a. smog in '84

[@steffanhoffmann8937]

Whatever but irrelevant

[@jamescarpenter6585]

Ovett was a little bit unlucky. Became a world beater in 1977, John Walker was top man in1976 but within eight months Ovett was destroying him consistently, he managed fifth in the 800 final at Montreal 1976. Coe became a world beater in 1979 just in time for Moscow. In 1980 Coe lost the 800 by underestimating Ovett’s kick and Ovett lost the 1500 by letting Coe kick first. There was nothing between them really except for injuries and illness they probably would have beaten each other according to current form. In early 1984 bronchitis disrupted Ovett’s preparation for Los Angeles and was probably the cause of his respiratory problems which, apart from the 5000 in a cool and forgiving Edinburgh, was the death knell on his career....subsequent to the LA games Coe only managed the European 800, but for the rest of the eighties it was Cram, Aouita and Elliott.

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@jamescarpenter6585 Spot on and let's never forget Cram.

[@ravewonder]

Honestly 2 of the best ever luv sbe coe luv steve ovett 2 of the best ever blessed to have been able to compete at meets with them not in the same event but the best time watching them compete.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

The press really overly exagerrated the differences between the two guys and also made Steve put to be a « bad guy » or « working class » to Sebs « middle class ».

[@mandykhoo2473]

great days ....who honestly believes these guys ever took drugs?

[@jozefserf2024]

Talent v Training. Hot v cold.

[@Robert-mn8gc]

2 Fabulous British Runners. Really liked Ovett , But Seb Coe was my Favourite. And in between them was the flying Kiwi 🥝

[@Hertzultra]

I just loved them both to compete and win against eac other and the world... Pepsi versus Cola or Mods versus Rockers and then Seb Coe versus Ovett... the press the media same ole same ole rotten eggs..

[@jeffallinson8089]

Where is the rest of the programme then?

[@micksaltydog]

If you mean is there a Coe/Ovett part 2 then yes. Rude boy

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@micksaltydog I sure couldn't find it and I wasn't being rude.

[@MarkGalvin-ke5qk]

Brill runners. Coe 1, ovett 2, cram 3

[@PedrSion]

I always thought that Peter Coe considered Ovett to be an oik from Brighton and not worthy of breathing the same air as his son.

[@paulwilliams8389]

He actually had great respect for Ovett. I remember an interview where he was asked who was the greatest middle-distance runner of all-time (discounting Seb Coe) and he answered "Steve Ovett".

[@stephencharles6932]

Doesn't play from 10 mins. terrible!!!!

[@micksaltydog]

😂 so sorry I do apologise 😂 on here for my own benefit to watch , if some tune in and watch something not already on KZbin great 👍 glad you like it. if not “NFG” ps it does play from 10mins on ???

[@stephencharles6932]

@@micksaltydog It's from 11:28 that for me it goes into super fast play and no sound to the end. Pity. No idea what NFG means in your comment? Are you insulting me? If so, not nice.

[@micksaltydog]

From 11.28 I’m rewinding it after fast forwarding adverts to far, there is sound , it’s KZbin 🙏 and I’ve put on so I can save/watch as documentary that isn’t about. Thanks for the terrible comment though 😂

[@micksaltydog]

So basically I’ve put a bunch of stuff on KZbin so I can watch back, a lot from documentaries not around anymore , obviously KZbin is a platform I’ll get a few comments some of which have been the fast forwarding through adverts followed by nice vid though haven’t seen before 🙌 sorry you weren’t all together happy with it 😢 May I suggest another Ovett/Coe KZbin chl 👍👋

[@micksaltydog]

Part 2 up!!

[@rhysnichols8608]

micksaltydog thanks

[@222mozart]

suuuper vid !!

[@KAF128]

LOL !

[@gregharrison5479]

They both had Great British Teeth.

[@LVPAcharn]

Always Ovett ,,

[@PinkandBlueBobblyOnes]

Seb Coe my boyhood hero

[@ZeldaFitz]

Norman Watt-Roy

[@micksaltydog]

Anyone know when film comes out ????

[@StarfieldRailway]

It looks like it came out a long time ago.

[@micksaltydog]

+Hooptie Hamburger ??

[@StarfieldRailway]

micksaltydog Sebastian Coe doesn't look like that now. He is much younger in the interviews in this video than he is these days.

[@micksaltydog]

+Hooptie Hamburger no I mean they had a film set up of the Coe Ovett rivalry ! Harry Potter actor was cast as Coe , not sure about Ovett , and it was scheduled to come out a few years ago but never did???😉

[@StarfieldRailway]

micksaltydog Oh, cool. I didn't know about that. I would love to see it. That's great news.