COE vs OVETT (1980 Moscow Olympics) - #4 of 4

The build-up to the eagerly-awaited clashes between Sebastian Coe & Steve Ovett at the 1980 Moscow Olympics

[@blackdog6055]

I remember watching this programme in the early eighties. It was never repeated so I'm happy to see it again, after so many years.When you're young you think British athletes as good as these two appear at every Olympics. 36 years later, there has been nothing like them since. A golden era, what would they earn today. They'd be as famous and unbeatable as Usain Bolt.Many thanks for the upload.

[@huangomez110]

Early eighties?

[@samhardy6319]

It was made in 1996 as a part of thr BBC 2 series "Clash of the Titans".

[@JamieMonk]

I am quite sure, had Coe won the 800, Ovett would have won the 1500.

[@davidbaldwin133]

Very true.

[@nihonbunka]

Maybe because I am bald, but I am an Ovett fan. Coe is so pretty too. I think I liked Ovett for his less-pretty mug. But it made a very good story. I can remember the photo on the newspaper front page the next day: Coes pose as he went through the tape, looking like he'd been crucified, and happy with it.

[@fatbelly27]

I don't suppose the UK will ever see the like of these two again. Nor will athletics ever be such front page news. It wasn't just Coe and Ovett. As the film indicates, Cram went on to dominate the mile, Thompson the decathlon, Moorcroft the 5k.

[@androod6211]

Coe was such sore loser and ungracious winner, it was easy to want Ovett to win.

[@joemcm1]

ovett had done it,wanted to go home,he wasnt motivated in 1500..but fair play seb 1-1 was fair really

[@LPCLASSICAL]

The 1500 is the greater prize. So it was odd that Ovett felt lack of motivation to win it. In the Sun where he had a column he said (after winning the 800) that he would end Coe's career in the 1500.

[@joemcm1]

@@LPCLASSICAL in his book he says he was also affected by the falling out with his mother and he hints that the over-heating problems started before the 1500 final.hes a complex character,its hard to work it out really but he was smiling after the 1500 final which was odd

[@LPCLASSICAL]

@@joemcm1 Coe makes excuses for his failures too in his books. If you look at the splits for Ovett's last 200M you will see that he actually ran faster than at any time in his career off that kind of last 600 metres. Coe's last 100M of 12.1 is the fastest last 100M in a championship 1500M. Ovett's last 100M was 12.7 - faster than his WC 1977 split. I think he probably knew Coe would get the better of him that day - hence the post race smile. We really will never know for sure. Im glad he won the 800 frankly as Coe could have walked away with 2 golds had he not mucked up and I wanted them to get 1 each.

[@joemcm1]

@@LPCLASSICAL yea ive see the splits point before.i think what we really wanted was the neck and neck race for the line and to see who would melt if you like.what we actually got was two fairly comfortable wins.i can see the spilt times argument but ovett was such a funny bugger you always felt he had something left.the only two flat out ovett races i can think of are the 800 moscow and the 83 run where cram pipped him.the difference between moscow 1500 and the cram run are slightly noticeable too-he definitely wanted to beat cram that night

[@LPCLASSICAL]

@@joemcm1 Yes I wanted to see them neck and neck at the line too. Bear in mind in all Ovett's impressive wins 1977 to 1980 - he never faced a runner of his own calibre.