John Treacy beats Steve Ovett On The Line! 5000m. London,1980

[@VictorOctavian]

Treacy didn't 'steal it': he won it. Sporting endeavor isn't just about coming first - it's also about being as gracious in victory as in defeat. Steve had a God-given talent but with that comes some humility and basic respect for others and on that night, long ago, he was found wanting.

[@gordonremsey8055]

Love watching this clip. Great to be Irish 🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@ZeldaFitz]

I remember watching this as a 9 year old kid, 41 years ago, incredible!

[@englishman1960]

Steve Ovett was a very naughty boy here. Didn't he realise that John Treacy had won more global gold medals than himself and could actually sprint

[@barefootbeachrunner9498]

I love the comment Treacey looking awkward Against Ovett Id love to look awkward and be able to run a sub 2:10 marathon and a 1:03 half marathon Something Steve ovett never achieved but Treacey did🏃‍♂️😁

[@johnmc3862]

100%.

[@PaulVinonaama]

global gold medals???

[@johnmc3862]

@@PaulVinonaamaYes, he won the world cross country in 78 and 79.

[@seanscanlon9067]

I did not matter that John Treacy had won more global gold medals than Steve Ovett as that was not the deciding factor here that determined the result. It was Ovett's cockiness.

[@rosecottage6256]

The single greatest clip to be found on KZbin. Ovetts mug was a picture it couldn't have looked worse if John Treacy had kicked him in the nuts 😂😂. The usual disrespect from Pickering to anyone who wasn't Coe or Ovett, it was as if Treacy had no right to beat the sainted Ovett. John was much more than a 'Mudlark' a fantastic athlete who proved his worth in the heat of LA84 and if my memory serves me right Ovett couldn't hack it out there.

[@richybatty234]

Ovett had serious health problems ' out there '

[@72mossy]

The little man with a big heart from Waterford Ireland. We also remember the 1984 Olympics Marathon in LA when he won a silver. It was a great occasion.

[@jgreenhoff]

I had that silver medal around my neck in the kitchen of his house in the US when I was 10 years old. We lived close to the Treacys and being the only two Irish families in the area we hung out quite a bit. Very nice guy.

[@72mossy]

@@jgreenhoff that's a great story, what a privilege to have that medal around your neck and you know yourself athletic medals are scarce in Ireland. We remember watching it at home with our parents in 84 near Templemore Tipperary, my mother was estactic over it God rest her soul.

[@georgefindlay1982]

@@72mossy I always thought it was Nick Rose who came and beat him in this way so no wonder i couldnt find the video lol

[@johnmc3862]

It was his 1st marathon too.

[@elizajohn5]

Not forgetting his 2 world cross country triumphs in 1978 and 79.

[@danielm.ambrose8289]

A great moment for the late Billy McChesney wearing his high school "Axemen" for South Eugene High School; a member of the first "class" of the Axemen Hall of Fame.

[@norachristina4643]

i never tire of watching this!

[@15mackman]

British arrogance of highest order both in commentary and on track. A thing of beauty to watch.

[@ashleyhyne7027]

What a nonsense thing to say.

[@macker6542]

Ever listen to Jimmy McGee commentating on an Irish runner, boxer,jockeys d whatever

[@donquixote3927]

The British are the least of your problems. You’re being colonised with full approval of your rulers. So are we, in fact.

[@seanscanlon9067]

@15mackman - Don't be silly, just arrogance and nationality had nothing to do with it.

[@runcaz7802]

Waving to the crowd just prior to entering the home straight was SOOO premature not to mention disrespectful. Treacy was just a foot or two behind him! That was like yelling "I have a better kick over 100 meters than you so I'll just go ahead and begin my celebration now"! And apparently he still hadn't learned his lesson after fighting off Treacy, and he lets up AGAIN 10 yards early. Unforgivable, and just look what happened.

[@simonedwards5564]

MUCH AS I LOVE AND RESPECT OVETT,,,SERVES EM FEKKIN RIGHT!!!!! OVETT NEVER,,,AND I MEAN NEVER RAN THROUGH THE LINE,,,BUT SOMETIMES HE DID, LIKE THAT FAMOUS RACE WITH STEVE CRAM AT THE PALACE OR GETTING INTO THE OLYMPICS 800M FINAL 1984!!!!!!! OR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 1500 1983 !!!!!!!! HUH,,,,HE WAS FLAT OUT THEN !!!!!!!!!

[@geraldillo]

Steve Ovett was a great runner, but obviously had to learn the hard way to be respectful to his opponents.

[@pauljw11]

I lived in Ireland at the time. A joke did the rounds "Did you hear about the Englishman who gives victory waves when he comes second"!

[@lawrenceburton2854]

😂😂😂 quality. There’s a valuable lesson to learn right here!

[@coleenlyne1621]

Watched this over and over again never get tired of it

[@sapphire22011]

Pride comes always before a fall!!

[@josielpontocom]

First, cross the line, then celebrate

[@simonedwards5564]

Ovett never ever ran through the line,,, very rarely,,but in the Moscow 800m 1980 he ran the last lap in 50'6 41 years later still the fastest ever in an Olympics or any international championships*

[@johnmc3862]

@@simonedwards5564 Ovett was brilliant. But he underestimated Treacys resolve on this occasion. A twice world cross champion and Olympic marathon silver medalist.

[@joemcm1]

a classic,i remember being ten and watching with all my family being ovett fans and we loved it when treacy won.ovett took it v well if u can find the interview.ovett ,a legend

[@minnesotajack1]

Some of my favorite videos are premature celebration videos

[@stormyweraf7923]

I remember reading a book, forgot what it was called. Anyway to quote unenthusiastically, “A moment of pain for a lifetime of glory”

[@stevedynell3330]

Treacy was a very tenacious runner. While he was not usually one of the most excellent kickers, he certainly could accelerate sharply when he was in top shape. Treacy also deserved his 2 World Cross Country Championships (1978, 1979)+his Olympic silver in the marathon (1984).

[@jh6273]

amazing Olympics result for his first Marathon

[@seamusbyrne5350]

@@jh6273, I think he competed in the 10,000m a few days after the marathon at the same olympics and came 7th .

[@jh6273]

@@seamusbyrne5350 Seamus great Irish history I often replay on youtube

[@gary1961]

Run THROUGH the finish line, don't ease off BEFORE it. That's what our athletics teacher used to shout at us in the 1970s.

[@johnmc3862]

Treacy won the word cross country championship in ‘79(the year before) and in ‘78. Ovett didn’t realise he was such a tenacious runner. No runner in their right mind despite being arrogant to wave to the crowd would have thought Treacy would have made an impossible amount on metres in the last few strides. A perfect example of, you haven’t won it until you’ve passed the line.

[@johnmurphy9304]

A bit like Eamonn Coughlan in 1983, a little bit too Arrogant on the last bend.

[@JohnLalor6]

⁠@@johnmurphy9304not really. For me Coughlan’s fist raise (having finished 4th in two previous Olympics) was a personal breakthrough moment, after a career of heartbreak in the big outdoor events. No arrogance or disrespect on show.

[@Shaftsus]

3:01 Silences the crowd

[@savedfaves]

It’s like an ‘80s film. These cheesy things actually happen in real life, apparently. Celebrating early like that. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

[@myopenmind527]

John Teacy was a world class athlete and not to be underestimated.

[@norachristina4643]

well said!A brilliant athlete and this was a great race with a brilliant run and well deserved win for John Treacy.

[@markharris1223]

Mr Ovett was always his own greatest fan.

[@johnmc3862]

Haha, he was an incredible runner in fairness. In the 1980 I think he was unbeaten.

[@maxclearance8790]

No one enjoyed that more than the commentator. Great call.

[@neilardiff1738]

Remarkable - if unsurprising - commentary from Ron Pickering.

[@LisztyLiszt]

He didn't steal it though did he. He just didn't spend the last 110m being a total knob.

[@kevinmurray764]

Treacy didn't steal it. Treacy won it well.

[@macdeath44]

Didn't look like there was much love lost in that cold stare they gave each other at the end. No handshake either.

[@hauntboy]

It looks like @ 3:13 Ovett started to walk towards him to probably shake hands, but he noticed Treacy turn away, so looked down and turned away too.

[@georgesmyth6577]

Treacy didn't 'steal' it.he won it fair and square.

[@marksmyth5505]

Brilliant win by Treacy 🍀✅💚

[@alexsg8tr111]

Bill, I know your up there and I want you to know I look up to you bud.

[@norachristina4643]

theyre all heading over to the olympic champ steve ovett at the end of the race!and john treacy has beaten him!

[@harrynewiss4630]

What a prat Ovett

[@stretchipress]

Celebrated too soon!

[@stevenyoung9473]

never give up :)

[@losscangers6513]

Fucking love it. Well done Treacy. Best moment in athletics ever. Ovett was a horrible athlete. Treacy was a great man. Well done Ireland.

[@mathematics5573]

Ovett was not a horrible athlete. A very sweeping statement. He was an incredibble athlete. Just an extrovert on the track.

[@johnmc3862]

He was right to do the wave, he went on a streak where he didn’t lose in 40 odd races!

[@vinniex3098]

Ovett saw the funny side to his credit. But Steve, Steve, Steve. Why oh why oh why didn’t you just stop larking around and just run through the line!

[@patrickoleary2862]

John Treacy who would go on to win Olympic silver in his first ever marathon in Los Angeles!!

[@Asdzx-1]

Just saying hes my gran ucle :)

[@samsonpug]

Didn’t learn his lesson from Tom Byers who beat him as a pacemaker-but an amazing athlete winning 45 1500 metre races in a row.

[@simonedwards5564]

Tom byers beat OVETT ten months after this race,,,,this was AUGUST 1980,,,,Byers beat OVETT.. June /1981

[@samsonpug]

@@simonedwards5564 Wow. Good knowledge.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

an Ovett/Coe film wud be brilliant.......

[@Fuzcapp]

Also! Watch Ovett with reference to the running lanes ... He is veering right across the lanes to force Treacy to run further to get around him. Not just arrogant, but a knowing cheat as well. Watch Ovett's feet and use the lane markers as a guide. Utterly disgusting performance. If a jockey did this on a race horse he would be suspended for months.

[@Fuzcapp]

@@BertSmithLondon Yeah - on ya Bert. Did yourself when you were an athlete, did you?

[@jh6273]

ha ha brilliant I cant believe he waived so early to crowd

[@Regnisab]

Life lesson.

[@handeyecoordinationskills]

I never knew this happened? was this a big race or just a small one?

[@AthletixStuffChannel]

As far as I remember it was a post Olympic meet at Crystal Palace,well attended,and Ovett giving the 5K a bash after winning gold at the 800m in Moscow. Got a bit carried away with the waving,but laughed his head off \t what happened afterwards...maybe learnt a lesson? Probably not..

[@handeyecoordinationskills]

@@AthletixStuffChannel thanks for the info, it was a remarkable ending, I'm just amazed in all the yrs I've watched athletics on irish tv that I've never seen this

[@johnmc3862]

@@AthletixStuffChannel indeed, can’t write off a double World cross country champion!

[@andrewdunne1735]

​@@AthletixStuffChannel I backed SEB Coe to win the 800 in Moscow,Had a huge Fiver on him,Had to back it up in the 1500 with a 20 spot,I loved that guy😂😂😂😂😂

[@TimboTravels]

Why is Foster always called by his first name? Bit chummy for a commentary.

[@benjamins6949]

Pickering's commentary is a bit embarrassing! How wonderful Ovett is - "only one winner from here"....

[@AthletixStuffChannel]

Fair point,though if it had been Begby he'd at the very least headbutted him on the way down the homestraight.Or knifed him.One of the two.

[@lancebaker1374]

Who else hates the poorly timed BBC logo that ruins the wave replay at 03:53? Why could they not have flashed that 5 seconds earlier or later?

[@tonydiaz2541]

The late great Bill McChesney. RIP

[@johnidstrom952]

Wearing his Axemen kit. Classic.

[@mikegallagher4388]

English, innit?

[@joaotakanorijamjao1312]

That was a really UNSPORTMANLIKE race"!""""""

[@jackcondon3929]

Some dose that brit commentator. Ovett is no bettet

[@johnmc3862]

? Relax lad.

[@swarnginisoren2697]

Can't see it very clearly

[@mathematics5573]

there are some shockingly rude comments towards Ovett here. So he was a bit arrogant. At least he set loads of world records and won millions of races.

[@runcaz7802]

Francis Hooton: Great runner indeed. He's also a good commentator. That being said, waving to the crowd with 100 to go with a man right on your shoulder will invite hateful comments, as well I think it should. There is no reason for it.

[@sergeybrin9765]

He actually won billions of races 😅

[@anthonyobrien3735]

I believe F and Sergey Brin need a basic arithmetic class,.. not in his extended track career did Steve Ovett come close to even One thousand wins. Get a grip and stop being mentally lazy with the cliche's please. He dropped his concentration and received the reward,...karma!

[@mathematics5573]

@@anthonyobrien3735 Ovett won 1million races. So Wxvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

[@mathematics5573]

@@anthonyobrien3735 because in many people minds, he is still a winner and the greatest.

[@93MickyD2]

Treacy looks like Begby from Trainspotting.

[@georgesmyth6577]

Ovett was prone to waving to the crowd.seb never did that.

[@Anthony-Testicali]

His cazual indifference to running flat out and proclivity to showboat the last 100 metres belied that he was more accurately than his pb's suggest a 1:42.8 man at 800m, 3:29 at 1500 and 13:02 at 5000m

[@paolomargari]

well done! british never win :)

[@martynhanson]

A lot of the black guys were road running in the US for big money, the road circuit was growing. That is why in the first world champs in 83 there were very few black medalist's, never mind gold, in the men's events from 800m to marathon. Still, all forgotten now, eh? By the way, Ovett didn't like this event but he was annoyed enough to go to Budapest four days later and win a 5000m. 2nd and 1st in two 5000m three weeks after he was Olympic 800m champ. Not bad I'd say.

[@martynhanson]

+David Shreeves Hi David - inc 800m to marathon, name the black African gold medal winners in Helsinki 1983?

[@martynhanson]

+martynh out of 800m , 1500m, 5000m , 10000m , 3000m steeplechase and marathon, black Africans mustered one medal out of 18! That was Balcha of Ethiopia in the Marathon.

[@martynhanson]

+David Shreeves If you look at my original post above it was based on distance running. That's why I mentioned the road running circuit in the States that had taken off. I repeat. My original post was based on black Africans re distance running. How it was when the World champs started and how it quickly changed to black African dominance. I was trying to pinpoint why their dominance didn't start in 1983, ie the lucrative road running circuit in the states

[@martynhanson]

+David Shreeves You seem to infer I have an anti black agenda. How dare you! I was pointing out something that not many people were aware of re 1983. I am a socialist and have no racial bias in any shape or form.

[@martynhanson]

+David Shreeves No, I was curious as to why the black African distance running success almost dried up at Helsinki 1983. It stands out a mile, but it is rarely pointed out. I am certain that had it not been for the lucrative road running circuit in the states at that time they would have had the same levels of success in Helsinki as elsewhere.

[@patoconnell37]

Bloke that came second was some tosser.

[@Andrew-m5p4s]

Pathetic; hes dealing with men who run 150 miles a week and with a milers kick

[@Logans3Run]

Ovett made a monumental schoolboy error by forgetting, that it's not over till it's over. Showboating before you cross the line without being aware of who's behind you, that deserved a good kick in the goolies. Nice one Johnny.

[@lancebaker1374]

Posh pronunciation of "er" in words always comes out "ed" - "Amedican". In many 1930s films, the posh old Brittish woman would say "I'm veddy, veddy pleased."

[@MrYFlyer]

Was that Cram with Ovett?

[@MAOLALAIDH]

Brendan Foster

[@MrYFlyer]

@@MAOLALAIDH thanks.

[@jackreed7287]

Arrogance not once but twice. Steve Ovett, embarrassing.

[@savedfaves]

Arrogance, then foolishness?

[@soulyrasheed]

Stevie was not brimming with intellect - sadly--- his career could be much, much better if he had...

[@adamd4390]

Hilarious ovett was a conceited man

[@simonsedwards1513]

BUT STILL FANTASTICALLY BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!