Sebastian Coe WR 800 meters - 1981

[@scrumpymanjack]

This run was years ahead if it’s time. Coe was years ahead of his time. A true great.

[@Harveydentonstoads]

I HATE Sebastian Coe!

[@Erzengel491]

​@@HarveydentonstoadsI see what you did there. Clamping homeless people, it's obscene (even if they've been sick too). xxx

[@scrumpymanjack]

​@@Erzengel491What are you on about?

[@BBBYpsi]

Imagine what he could have run. And today's tracks, which are much faster tracks to run on

[@scrumpymanjack]

@@BBBYpsi Not just the tracks. What about the shoes and the training methods? Cow used to train in the streets of Sheffield with his dad, who had a little more than a clipboard and a hand-held stopwatch!

[@blackdog9770]

Seb knocked two seconds of the old WR by Juantorena. With modern tracks, training methods, kit and diet he could do the same today. That double kick he had coming off the final bend was stunning to see. Training sessions of 16 miles up and down the hills of Sheffield helped develop an amazing athlete. He was the pinnacle of a golden age of middle distance running in Britain, a once in a lifetime runner.

[@ericgeorge5483]

Agreed and I couldn't have put it better myself.

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

He was the module of mechanical efficiency !!!!!! Perfection !!!

[@Zandohaha]

And, he ran that amazing time whilst running around a guy on the bend. That's probably a tenth of a second, maybe 2 tenths.

[@leocossham]

This makes me proud to be a runner from Sheffield

[@myaccount611]

Lol he would not run a 1:38 with better shoes youre delusional

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

He's the greatest who's ever lived and probably the greatest we'll ever see. No-one can compete with his records, no-one. If he'd had fewer illnesses and injuries and been selected for the 1988 Olympics, who knows what he would have achieved!

[@jeffiles7953]

Will always be one of the greatest displays in history. Legend.

[@fender1000100]

I known just amazing. And for a short runner too.

[@kevinkilduff2064]

Utterly awesome. Imagine what that time would be with modern training methods, shoes, tracks, etc.

[@howardday9398]

Truly the greatest. Middle distance runner of all time, his 800 metre record has stood for all these years, beaten by just two men and more importantly by only 0.8 of a second how truly unique was this runner I would state running today with that uniqueness, he would beat rudisha!!!!

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

He's the greatest who's ever lived and probably the greatest we'll ever see. No-one can compete with his records, no-one. If he'd had fewer illnesses and injuries and been selected for the 1988 Olympics, who knows what he would have achieved!

[@ZeldaFitz]

A golden era of British middle distance running. When you look at the state of that track it makes it even more incredible that he run 1:41.73. I was in a bar in soho in 1997 when Kipkeiter finally broke what was then a 16 year record. All great runners but I loved Coe.

[@adamd4390]

His 1500 olympics record stood for 16 years too

[@Zandohaha]

Yeah, only Rudisha and Kipketer have ran faster. Amos matched it. Makes you wonder how quick Seb could have ran here on a modern track, with modern footwear.

[@SirPeter6464]

Never believe the tracks are better nonsense. He liked old hard tracks and ran well on cinders. That track aided him 1g and thin. Gave him plenty of lift.

[@LPCLASSICAL]

@@SirPeter6464 cinder tracks give no energy return - I ran an 800 at school flat out on cinders and then went to the county championship on synthetic track and beat my time by 2 seconds in the early 80s.

[@9Ballr]

This is one of the greatest performances in track history. Since Coe did this, only two runners have gone faster for 800m, and Coe's time has only been bettered by .82 seconds in 39 years!

[@APBCTechnique]

To me Coe was a failed 800m runner - 2 Olympic 800m failures, didn’t complete in the 800m world championships in 83, or 87. He only run once under 1:42 and once under 1:43. Under achieved at 800m despite an amazing talent and only man to sub 3:30 1500m and 1:42 800m Coe only ran 2 fast 800m 142:33 (79) 141:73 (81) Coe is nothing in the sight of Rudisha and kipketer, both was consistent and winners of global titles - Coe flopped on the global stage at 800m he had bad tactical races, injuries or sick again 😞 Look the stats below - Coe didn’t have the LONGEVITY as David or Wilson David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Wilson Kipketer also ran 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002).

[@deano27671]

@@APBCTechnique like comparing apples with oranges, in that they were totally different eras and Coe was a middle distance runner, not an 800 specialist. Taking into consideration all Coe’s races and comparing them to all Rudisha’s or Kipketer’s, then Coe’s career, in terms of world records, Olympic medals and world rankings, is superior to both Kenyans. They didn’t have a Golden League or Diamond League circuit when Coe was in his prime, and he had to run a certain number of domestic and international match races, that were invariably tactical races, each year, something neither Kip or Rudisha was restricted by. They ran on a circuit where they were given a pacer through 400m in 50 secs or faster practically every week! Coe was taken to the bell in 50.0 flat or faster just twice in his career, 1:41.7, 1:43.0. Rudisha’s championship record over 800 is better than Coe’s over 800, but Kipketer’s record in the Olympics and Europeans is not as good as Coe’s. You clearly ignore the fact that in Kipketer’s era he had World Championships every 2 years, both indoor and outdoor, whereas there were no World Champs at all during Coe’s best years (79 - 83) and thereafter only every 4 years. So of course if someone has loads more opportunities to run an event they will likely win some. You can compare Rudisha’s and Kipketer’s championship records, as they both competed in eras where the opportunities were the same, although as a Danish National, you have to exclude Kipketer’s achievements in European Champs. I think it’s pretty obvious!

[@APBCTechnique]

@@deano27671whatever you say Coe had a flash in the pan 800m career with only 2 fast 800m runs (79 & 81) 3 chances to win European Gold and won 3rd time of trying in a slow race. Two chances of Olympic 800m Glory but failed unlike Peter Snell or Rudesha, two chances at world championships but was sick or injured. 3 chances at commonwealths but was not at 82 sick again in 86 then made the final and bombed out in the final with another cold in 1990. Again bombed out in 88 Olympic trials in the UK as was sick again. 🤒. Drop defending Coe it’s over a has-been that didn’t win anything at 800m Can’t you see the pattern of his career looses and sickness and injury ? Zero world titles and zero Olympic 800m titles. I’ve no idea why you nut-hug Coe with his mediocre 800m record. Really stop this fantasy Deano. Coe is not even in the top 20 fastest 1500m runners of all time. Running has moved on buddy, Coe is finished and forgotten. We’ve 19 year olds from Norway running 3:28 now. Let’s look ahead - stop the nut-hugging ok 👍

[@mc1703]

@@deano27671 whilst I grant you an even faster time (low 1:41s) would have been achieved in this race with a modern track and not having to come round the rabbit on the 3rd bend, Coe (nor anyone else for that matter) could never do what Rusidha did in the 2012 olympic final.

[@stevetargett9049]

@@mc1703 Agreed, the 2012 final is my favourite 800 race ever, and one of the finest athletic achievements of all time. To state your going to break your own world record before the most important race of your life and then have audacity to go out and do it was breathtaking. I think he dragged pretty much everyone else in that race round to either national records or p.b's

[@linoma57]

@saprice72 absolutely, the most graceful and greatest middle distance runner in history

[@booklover3959]

This is a shocking time.....and on a track of this quality....devastating. I just wish there was better quality footage of this race available. If anyone knows where to find a better quality film of it then let us know or post it please. Track fans everywhere will thank you.

[@LPCLASSICAL]

there is a great photo of Coe crossing the finishing line - dont know if you have seen it.

[@ORIGINALGAMESONLY]

perhaps THE GREATEST TRACK PERFORMANCE OF ALL TIME

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

video gameplay exactly,coe was 1*7 ahead of the world today that would give him a time of 1:39:2!!!!!!!!!

[@ravewonder]

Love Sabastian Coe, his best competition was Steve Ovett I was blessed to be from that time area and to be able to compete at meets with them not in the same event but great is great no matter the event!

[@jeffiles7953]

Years ahead of his time just like usain bolt.

[@popaybugi9443]

Or somehow he managed to be undetected with dope which js more accurate

[@ericsolomon7149]

@@popaybugi9443 yeah right dumbass he weighed all of 120 lb at the time. Yeah he must have roided-up good!

[@simonedwards5564]

@@popaybugi9443 COE WAS CLEAN AS WAS OVETT /CRAM/ ELLIOTT,,,,/ they were truly the last of the clean era,,,,it was after THAT that the E,PO, ERA STARTED AND WENT UNDETECTED FOR OVER DECADE (1991_2001);

[@popaybugi9443]

@@ericsolomon7149 coe=roid

[@simonedwards5564]

@Leslie M COMMON SENSE MAKES A COMEBACK....WHOSE TO SAY...LASSIE VIREN WAS WAS INTO BLOOD DOPING...HICHAM EL GEROUGE MILE AND 1500 M ARE GONNA BE AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME,,,LONGER THAN SEB COES 800M WHICH WAS AROUND FOR AN ASTONISHING 16 YEARS!!!!!@!!! AND THE MILE 1500M HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED FOR OVER 23 YEARS!!!!!!!!! WHEN COE SET HIS KILOMETRE RECORD IN 1981ONLY ONE MAN ,,IN 41 YEARS BEAT COES TIME,,,JUST/2 TENTHS AND ALSO RAN A 3:43-4 ,MILE BEHIND HICHAM 1999!!!!!!!!! THESE TIMES WERE SET WHEN EPO WASN'T PROPERLY TESTED AND GUESS WHAT!!!!! THESE RECORDS ARE GONNA BE AROUND FOR A VERY LOOOOOONG TIME TO COME!!!! IF COE OVETT AND CRAM HAD USE THEY WOULD HAVE RUN FASTER,,,,MUCH FASTER AND THE LAST GUY THAT RAN 1500M IN 3:26"6 GOT BANNED BECAUSE NOBODY/NORMAL IS READY TO RUN THAT TIME WITHOUT USING SOMETHING,,,TIME WILL TELL!!!!!

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

If coe was around today he would undoubtedly, SERIOUSLY UNDOUBTEDLY run1:39!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!

[@flaviowaltz5255]

I agree

[@joemcm1]

yep maybes mid 138(and see my other comment-then ovett is history)

[@simonedwards5564]

@@joemcm1 wow you really believe that??? Well with paacmaking Up to 250 m 300 m to go faster ,(MONDO)track ENERGY savind=food and training methods..mind you Peter COE was well ahead of his time snd and THESE LIGHTENING FAST RUNNING SHOES NOW COE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN mid 1,:38,s early= ^ 1:40,s (1:40,2 at least)800m the fact that he ACHIEVED THIS early June and .that 1000m going through 800m in 1:44,57 in july shows that he really should have gone for it at the world cup in rome 1981....pooh well hindsight eh....??? Instead he SMASHED the WORLD RECORD FOR THE MILE TWICE WITHIN DAYS SWAPPING TIMES WITH THE GREATEST STEVE OVETT!!!!!!!! HAD HE NOT GOT ILL IN 1982/1983 WE WOULD HAVE SEEN 3:27/15003:45 MILE AS WELL BECAUSE SEBASTIAN RAN HIS BEST 15OOM IN 1986 WHEN HE WAS WELL WELL PASSED HIS BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT THIS MAN ACHIEVED IN I986(3:29*77) AT NEARLY 30 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!! SHOWS WHAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF!!!!! WHEN HE RAN HIS FASTEST MILE IN 1981 HIS 15OO PB WAS 3;32(3:31'95) GOING THROUGH 1500M IN 3:32"93 AN SPRINTED THE LAST 109 METRES IN14,40 IMAGINE HICHAM EL GEROUGE DOING THAT GOING THROUGH 1500M A SECOND FROM HIS 1500M PB 3;26,0/(3:27"0)AND RUNNING THE LAST 109 METRES LIKE SEB DID HICHAM WOULD HAVE RUN A MILE IN 3;41"4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK IT OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!! INCREDIBLE STRENGTH.....SEB COE SHOULD HAVE RUN 3:45 FOR THE MILE THAT NIGHT IN BRUSSELS.....LOOK HOW HE WAS COASTING UP TO 200M TO GO...WATCH AS HIS FATHER IS SCREAMING AT HIM ON THE INFIELD. ...3:47??? NOT EVEN TIRED AT THE FINISH???? THERE WAS WAS PLENTY LEFT UNDER THE BONNET. FINISHING LIKE THAT FULLY STRETCHED COE HAD 3:44 IN HIM HIS KILOMETRE IS WORTH 3:43 MILE NOAH NYENG PROVED THAT....THE ONLY MAN TO BEAT COES KILOMETRE (TWO TENTHS ) AND BEING DRAGGED BY HICHAM TO A 3:43 ,4 MILE,,,,,,WHAT IF COE HAD BEEN DRAGGED THAT NIGHT IN BRUSSELS INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A KICK IN THE LAST 90 YARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@joemcm1]

@@simonedwards5564 yes mate-with everything modern compared to 1981-1:39 possibly 1:38.5 which sounds mad but thats the potential-im a solid ovett fan so i have no reason to big coe up.ovett was the better runner at the mile/1500...peter coe would have got ovett to 3:27 at 1500m which would have put him well out of coes reach.both great/both different

[@simonedwards5564]

@@joemcm1 JOE I TELL YOU agree with you 100% When ovett ran his FASTEST 1500m 1983 he WAS well passed his best ,,,,1977 to 1981 he should have been the FIRST under 3:30 -DEFINETLEY !!!!!!!!! AFTER that terrible injury at the end of 1981 and a troubled 1982 (also missing out on retaining European CHAMPIONSHIPS,,,bugger) he turned up to a windswept rieti TRACK and I mean BLOODY disastrous weather for a world RECORD attempt,,,,,,and STILL ran 3:30'7 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joe man,,,,,HOW ??? TWO YEARS OF INJURIES AND ILLNESS HE ran that time against all the odds STEVE OVETTS 3;30 was worth 3:28,5/3:29 -ovett easily lost 2 SECONDS that day giving him 3:28'7 which he should have done when in peak years he would hold back on that third LAP and wait waaaaaaaaaaaay to long to go,,,check out his koblenz run 1980 WHEN 3men broke seb COES 1500m WORLD RECORD...in the same race,,,,,,,,I REMEMBER SCREAMING at the television "STEVE PLEASE GO GO GO!!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC BRILLIANT!!!!!!!! The fact THAT APART from mo Farah no Englishman has beat his 2mile time from 1978!!!!!!!!! And his 2ND LAP in the Moscow 800m is still the FASTEST AFTER 42years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 42 F@#%€NG YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OVETT HAD 1:42'5 800M/ (Faster THAN CRAM) in those legs and 3:45/3:46 mile,,,,,,,if he hadn't got so badly injured and sick in 1981(end of)1982,,,and that WONDERFUL rieti track hadn't been smashed by nature that day.......HINDSIGHT eh???

[@eluceanlestelle]

Nobody ran like Sir Sebastian Newbold Coe.He is still the greatest.

[@paulfletcher7211]

when you look at a record or Gold medal win by any athlete, it is not the time that counts, as much as the distance between the second placed athlete. Coe was years ahead of his time.

[@1972dsrai]

He basically sprinted for 800m. What an amazing athlete he was.

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

COE was 1,7 seconds faster than the next Man being Alberto Juantorena, today if somebody did that there 800 time would be 1:39'2 !!!!!!!!!! IMAGINE !!!!!!!! No wonder it took untill 1997 for Wilson kipketer to beat it !!!!!!!!!!!

[@joys8634]

that''s like saying a 45-->44 is more impressive than 44-->43.5 lmao. The better you get the harder it's to get better

[@simonedwards5564]

@@joys8634 the more we find out ESPECIALLY the UNIVERSE we realise how little we know but when you look deep within your own mind the truth to the unfathomable is within you THE INTPLANETARY PHUNK ALERTS PHYSIC INJECTION ........MMMMMMM Seb coes 1k in oslo 1981 was A WAAAAAAAAY better PERFORMANCE than the 800m=2:12'18 1k/ 1:41,73 _800m oslo florence @ 198l#

[@glensmall9194]

Did somebody change the laws of Physics? No. Seb just blitzed the 800m record. Respect.

[@Grantpeebles]

No words, simply incredible performance 😮

[@perryturnball8310]

One of the truly great track performances. You can see with your own eyes how poor the track was, and for Coe to have run that time being alone from 300 metres out was incredible. Along with other multiple world record breakers, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram, it was an amazing period of dominance for British middle distance runners.

[@deano27671]

@saprice72 I agree completely. This wasn't even a serious attack on the record; it was v early in June and his father/coach didn't go with him to this meet. Coe went hoping for a 1:43 bench mark for an attack later in the season at Oslo. When you then consider he ran a couple of extra m, going wide on the bend to pass the pacemaker after the bell, it was probably worth about 1:41.5. Give him the super fast mondo track Rudisha ran on a few months ago & I suspect Coe would still hold the record!

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

deano27671 most DEFINITELY !!!!!!! 1:40,5!!!!!!!!! DEFINITELY !!!!!!!!!!

[@simonsedwards1513]

@@jeremyhomewood9573Twice when seb set the 800 m world records his father was not there!!!!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

[@mickeymouse7861]

@@simonsedwards1513 I believe Peter Coe was at the Oslo record (1979), I guess you mean the world indoor record.

[@APBCTechnique]

To me Coe was a failed 800m runner - 2 Olympic 800m failures, didn’t complete in the 800m world championships in 83, or 87. He only run once under 1:42 and once under 1:43. Under achieved at 800m despite an amazing talent and only man to sub 3:30 1500m and 1:42 800m

[@deano27671]

@@APBCTechnique Wow! You've posted the exact same comment on 5 different videos of Coe running! He must really get to you! I agree he under-achieved over 800m, but calling someone who won 2 Olympic silvers, a World Cup gold, European indoor and outdoor golds, 2 European Cup golds and setting 2 World records indoors and out, is hardly a 'failure'. If that's your definition of 'failure' then I think there are thousands out there who would love to be failures in their chosen event too! He didn't run at the Worlds because they didn't exist until 83, a year in which he was forced to pull out due to illness, and even then they were only held every 4 years. In 87 he was injured all season. It is not a failure if you are unable to run at a meet. You are also wrong about only running under 1:43 'once'. He did it twice (1:42.33 and 1:41.73), and up to 1984 no one else had run under 1:43.4 once.

[@whouster]

One of the truly great athletic achievements. You can see how bad the track was, and to run the last 300 metres on his own to set a time like that was incredible. If Coe was running on today's tracks, and with all the training and dietary advances, he'd have probably shaved another second off that record.

[@carlpeterkirkebo2036]

How could you determine the quality of the track from this video? To me the video quality was too bad to see much of anything.

[@jasonallen9144]

Because it was 1981. Today’s tracks are much softer and easier on the feet. Stadiums pay fortunes to make them out of space age materials so that they’re as fast as possible. They want the athletes to break records at their diamond league events .

[@carlpeterkirkebo2036]

@@jasonallen9144 Did you read the post I was replying to? That post said "You can see how bad the track was, ..."

[@regnana]

This is peak Coe, this world record time is still embedded in my brain - what a run!!

[@LPCLASSICAL]

People on forums - Coe haters - point out he only ran twice under 1.43. The point is - he was mostly running miles and 1500s in his peak years. Once he had put the 800 record out of reach - there was no need to keep trying to lower it further. With more attempts and a better track - I am confident he could have run near 1.40.

[@Erzengel491]

Don't feed the trolls. I'm not sure what you suggest is even possible, but as a supposed part-timer, his achievement is even more impressive. The internet's a remarkable thing, bashing an extraordinary record that lasted 16 years...

[@TomBartram-b1c]

Only two people have gone faster than Seb over 800 .. summer training - Yorkshire. Winter training - Yorkshire, with his dad following withhis Cortina's headlights on full beam because there were no floodlit training facilities. Seb sounds posh but jeez! ...he's hard as nails.

[@nati4124]

Haha you fool He was drugged to the hilt!

[@richard141724]

As was his father.

[@MrYFlyer]

What drugs?

[@MrYFlyer]

@Leslie M was EPO used in 1981?

[@MrYFlyer]

@Leslie M well Cova and Viren were rumoured to blood dope. Perhaps Victor Conte could answer with his views on Coe.

[@PIC18F]

Wow. This 800 m run by Seb Coe in 1981 is still (in 2018) the 9th fastest 800 m of all time. Only two althetes have run faster : Wilson Kipketer (twice) and David Rushida (six times). It is one of the most amazing runs of all time considering also that many people actually try the 800 m (compared to the longer distances).

[@mathematics5573]

Sean Karl, that Botswanna who got silver in 2012 olympics, also ran 1.41.73, aged 21. But he has never imporved it.

[@APBCTechnique]

To me Coe was a failed 800m runner - 2 Olympic 800m failures, didn’t complete in the 800m world championships in 83, or 87. He only run once under 1:42 and once under 1:43. Under achieved at 800m despite an amazing talent and only man to sub 3:30 1500m and 1:42 800m Coe only ran 2 fast 800m 142:33 (79) 141:73 (81) Coe is nothing in the sight of Rudisha and kipketer, both was consistent and winners of global titles - Coe flopped on the global stage at 800m he had bad tactical races, injuries or sick again 😞 Look the stats below - Coe didn’t have the LONGEVITY as David or Wilson David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Wilson Kipketer also ran 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002).

[@VeridicusMaximus]

@@APBCTechnique Stop posting this crap! You were utterly taken to task for this misrepresentation of the contexts of Coe's career. You post this everywhere. Coe did not have the same opportunities With Diamond leagues and WC for example nor did he focus on the 800 - he ran everything - 800, 1000, 1500, and the Mile and held WRs in all of them so STFU! More can be said and has by others but you are a troll with this shit.

[@APBCTechnique]

@@VeridicusMaximuslook Coe’s career he had only 2 fast 800m runs in total 1 in 1979 and 1 in 1981 nothing before fast or after + 2 Olympic 800m losses. He was never in shape to win a global titles at WC even if they were run every 2 years. Coe had toxoplasmosis, glandular fever, sciatica and colds , even his last commonwealth 800m flop was blamed as a cold or his 1988 Olympics was another cold. A flash in the pan at 800m with lots of injuries & illness. weakness blighted his career. No doubt a good 1500m mile runner but an 800m flop, but not even in the top 20 in the world at 1500m nowadays. Look the statistics they don’t lie Coe only ran 2 fast 800m 142:33 (79) 141:73 (81) Coe is nothing in the sight of Rudisha and kipketer, both was consistent and winners of global 800m titles - Coe flopped on the global stage at 800m he had bad tactical races, injuries or sick again 😞 Look the stats below - Coe didn’t have the LONGEVITY as David or Wilson David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Wilson Kipketer also ran 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002).@@VeridicusMaximusInsulting people means you’ve lost the argument as it shows lack of intellectual ability. I don’t expect anything sensible from you

[@VeridicusMaximus]

@@APBCTechnique You are a Joke: Coe had some of the fastest 800 times every damn year from 77 - 87. Got Two Silver Medals in the 80 and 84 OG against two of the all-time greats while also competing in the 1500 - getting Gold. Set numerous indoor and Outdoor WR in the 800m all while, as you say enduring injuries and health issues. He did this while NOT focusing on the 800 and running the 1000, 1500, and Mile races against top competitors. And you say you have intellectual integrity to conclude he was a failure, a flop, and a flash in the pan at 800m - You are a fucking moron so STFU! And insulting you is deserved given the stupidity of your assessment.

[@jeffreylancaster7571]

Imagine him with modern track surfaces and shoes. Running perfection.

[@bella-gacha_meme3736]

On today's tracks For would beat them all. The greatest!

[@TomBartram-b1c]

Only 2 people have ever run 8 hundred faster than Seb and they were both in modern springy tracks.

[@david2804me]

Hehe so was Coe's world record run. 'Springy' tracks (known at the time as Tartan tracks) were invented in the 60s. The 1968 Olympics were the first to be held on this surface.

[@TomBartram-b1c]

@@david2804me OK point taken but he sure didn't train on them, more like roads and moors thru an English winter. Bolt's never even seen a winter.

[@david2804me]

@@TomBartram-b1c yes he did. By the time Coe was becoming an elite athlete, tartan tracks were common and Coe, like every top athlete, trained on the roads, cross country and the best tracks. He probably never saw an old cinders track in his life except maybe as a child.

[@TomBartram-b1c]

@@david2804me I saw a documentary about him prior to Moscow 80. He reached Olympic standard with his dad lighting the way with the headlights of his Cortina as Seb ran 1/10 th mile legs on the road. Steel works manager Pete didn't rate training methods at his boy's local athletics club so took the matter in hand with an hilariously low tech regime. Obviously once Seb had his break as an elite superstar he had all the hi tech facilties but he had to get there first.

[@johnmc3862]

​@@david2804meAre you saying tracks in the 90's would be the same as tracks in the 60's? Definitely. Venues have been trying to improve tracks every year esp. At big meets.

[@Andrew-m5p4s]

The Greek gods could not compete with him on this night

[@TheEulerID]

One of the great world record runs.

[@stevenandrewills9500]

David coleman commentating , enthusiastic, knowledgeable,

[@choppy249]

Just imagine how much quicker Coe could have run even back then if he had Steve Ovett pacemaking for him on that night for say 650 or even 700 metres . I think he could have run maybe a second faster . Ovett would never have agreed to it of course as neither would Coe have agreed to be pacemaker for Ovett in say the 1500 . But just imagine if they had of agreed to do alternate pacemaking for each other . They would have shattered even more World records between them , no doubt about that . They each did pretty well with average , mediocre runners pacemaking for them . With each other setting the pace occasionally they would have torn up the record books with unbelievable times . They were that good .

[@adamsmith3838]

But if they had been on them kind of terms then maybe they would have been less motivated to get one up on each other and out do the other so could have had the reverse effect

[@robertjones9538]

It would have helped if he had not had to pass the pacemaker on the third bend!

[@sandcastlejim]

legend.

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

On today's running tracks,, and run in July, August,seb would have got close to,1:40,00 !!!!!! DEFINITELY !!!!!!!!!

[@Zandohaha]

He also ran around a guy on a bend in this race.

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

@@Zandohaha BILLY KONCHELLA, PACEMAKER,,, AND FUTURE WORLD CHAMPION OVER 800M 1987/1991/93 ?

[@RavishingSailor]

I agree. Was this on a dirt track?

[@Zandohaha]

@@RavishingSailor I don't think it was an old school dirt track, but looking at it, you can see its not a patch on the tracks they run on today. Technology progresses all sports after all. Including the shorts. Pretty sure it's a proper track though. Its just the footage that makes it look like a Greyhound track.

[@deano27671]

@@RavishingSailor no it wasn't a dirt/cinder track, but it was an old, bleached first generation synthetic track laid in the early 70's. I have a better quality video of the race and it even has pot marks on it. The modern mondo tracks of the London Olympics, Monaco or the recent World Championship track in Doha, would certainly be much faster than the one Coe ran on. Put Coe from this race on the Monaco track, and he probably runs 1:41 flat. Without running wide round the penultimate bend, and you can probably knock abother 0.2 secs from that time. In essence, man hasn't really got any faster in the last 38 years.

[@DavidKfilmmaker]

The 1924 Olympics footage looked clearer.

[@walternorthen6836]

What`a amazing this time today! is still amazing. Probably no-one dipped under 1.42.00 for a couple of years anyway.

[@johnp515]

Walter Northen Coe's record stood for 16 years and only 3 men in history including Coe have ever gone under 1:42 so considering this was 36 years ago it is amazing. A bit like Bob Beamon's long jump record

[@deano27671]

No one has gone under 1:42.0 for 5 years, and only 4 other men have ever run sub 1:42 (and 2 of them only once apiece)

[@APBCTechnique]

Coe only ran 2 fast 800m 142:33 (79) 141:73 (81) Coe is nothing in the sight of Rudisha and kipketer, both was consistent and winners of global titles - Coe flopped on the global stage at 800m he had bad tactical races, injuries or sick again 😞 Look the stats below - Coe didn’t have the LONGEVITY as David or Wilson David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Wilson Kipketer also ran 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002).

[@VeridicusMaximus]

@@APBCTechnique You're nothing in the sight of humanity. There is nothing to post about your accomplishments.

[@Erzengel491]

It was a lot later you doughnut. Phenomenal record that lasted sixteen years (!) before gradually two greats were required to break it, one much later than the other. You might as well point out that Saïd Aouita was much faster than Roger Bannister...

[@johmcg64]

Congrations Sebastion Coe!

[@Will-xx4qs]

imagine if he was around the 2012 Olympics time omg that would have been amazing

[@simonedwards5564]

Well his 1:41'73 was exactly the time of the 2nd place runner ,,,, THAT SAYS IT ALL !!!!!!!!! 31 YEARS LATER 😂 😀 AND COE STILL WOULD HAVE FINISHED 2ND!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@johngrogan6726]

This guy was my idol go seb go

[@MrBladerunner777]

When I was a runner in brazilian army my inspiration was "the 41 days of Sebastian Coe'. He is one of the top 5 of all time for sure.

[@ericsolomon7149]

One of the few times you see Seb look tired after his race. Well-deserved of course

[@franzschubertv2874]

An absolute beast. A hero across the pond to us American kids at the time.

[@ewaf88]

There must be a better quality video of this epic run somewhere

[@Erzengel491]

Agreed, it's ridiculous. And that they're guessing about the time 🤣🙀

[@davebesag]

Future dual 800m world champion Billy Konchellah setting the pace.

[@kingeric2468]

Amazing performance , I think if seb coe was around today 1:40 would be under serious threat With the improvements in technology and track improvement.

[@VeridicusMaximus]

That's got to be the fastest time ever run by a pixel.

[@michaelboardman8810]

Breathtaking !!!

[@user-xg6yc8ho3w]

I wonder how fast Sebastian Coe could be if he had today's modern training, sports nutrition, therapies, etc? His Dad was his coach.

[@grahamturner97]

Coe was a cheat - his legs are an identical length: apparently this is incredibly rare ! of course that gave him perfect balance.

[@bensullivan5562]

What?

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

Noooooo Graham turner has got a fantastic sense of humour, what he meant is that NATURE blessed coe with this plus COE,had,an, incredible, inside leg length what was it just under 33 inches i think,,his stride length was, must've been well over 2metres!!!!!!! But Alberto Juantorena stride surely was monstrous!!!!!!!

[@scottgilmour749]

After a year this comment is still worth a thumbs up. Can't believe people have no sense of humour.

[@APBCTechnique]

Most people have a one short-leg, but myself being different I have 2 short-legs 😂

[@siypic]

Very funny lol...... I do remember seeing Coe train running round the track the opposite way. (clockwise)... think it was a tilted pelvis problem........

[@dontlookback3549]

on today's tracks with today's shoe along with pacers and wavelights he would certainly threaten 1:40.00

[@TheSecondWitness]

Coe 40 years ahead of his time. Even in 2023 he would be #1.

[@skp8748]

Nah rushida

[@Oenloveslife]

Is there a way to compare this to today's records (Rudisha)? Nowadays better shoes, faster tracks. Is there any way Rudisha could have run this time on this track with those shoes under those conditions?

[@jaykhan6524]

Most of that .82 secs can be attributed to modern, helpful track surfaces and probably shoe technology. Incredible run. 🙂

[@ObscureAuteur]

You had better look again at the 2012 Olympic final. What pacing?? I saw a wire to wire one runner time trial ending at 1:40.91. Rudisha is, for the moment, the best there ever was and by a margin. 7 times under 1:42, six of the top ten and the top three outright. Coe, a great runner without question, was under 1:43 only twice, but he made them count, each a world record.

[@redrum4100]

The difference is that Coe spent much of his career chasing other distance records and medals. Had he concentrated on only the 800m, it would be a different story.

[@ynotnilknarf39]

Rudisha is a glorious athlete but Seb Coe could run 400m to 5k and beyond and not look out of place. 30 years on and you would expect a runner of Rudisha's quality to have many of the top times, that Coe still sits 3rd fastest athlete of all time and the 9th fastest mark only 0.82 seconds distant on tracks that are light years away from the track at florence some 35 years after his WR here, shows you that Coe if put in same era as Rudisha and vice versa would be the superior athlete.

[@jeremyhomewood9573]

ynotnilknarf39 yes!!!!! DEFINITELY YES!!!!!!!! SUB 140:00!!!!!!!! DEFINITELY !!!!!!!

[@tobyharling719]

Incredible that the record has not even been improved by a second yet. That would be like the marathon only improving by 52 seconds, yet it's several minutes.

[@Gscrunner7]

Rudisha and kipketer and coe vs each other in their prime and a pacer wouldn't be needed to break 140. Coe ran in worse conditions than the two but both rudisha and kipketer looked much more comftorable and controled at the end. It would be a great race tho

[@paulfletcher7211]

you can look as relaxed as you like, everyone gives 100%

[@MarrsAttax]

This is like watching Sky Go but better quality

[@jacintomesazanon]

Impresionante ese record mundial de 800 metros para AQUELLA ÉPOCA

[@gsw007]

Pacemaker didn't get the memo about getting out of Coe's way ...

[@benbim540]

that pacemaker was the great Billy Konchellah 2 x world champion at 800 mtrs.

[@HLl564]

Can we ever take wrs from the 80s serioisly?

[@bigterrapin5472]

Less than a second off Rudisha and he had to run wide on the 3rd bend... on an old track.

[@karluk7724]

A legend!

[@maxscriptguru]

Well, I saw a few white pixels moving on the screen. Was that Coe??

[@litespeed65]

I see pixels moving against a blurred background. There are humans moving here?

[@flaviowaltz5255]

Monster !!!

[@linglingjr]

@Gscrunner7 if coe had pacing for the same distance rudisha had he would no doubt run 1:40. not to mention today's tracks.

[@simonedwards8888]

linglingjr definitely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@simonedwards5564]

Well,,,,,,,, to be fair,,,, Rudisha never got paced,,,he was Pushed in London,,,,,he was never headed,,, FROM GUN TO TAPE !!!!!!!! Coe ran the last 400m alone,,,in early June,,,,,,on a track that was shit compared to today's SUPER FAST MONDO SURFACES,,,,,,, COE WAS WEARING NIKE ZOOM RUNNING SHOES,,,,,THEY WERE THE ONLY ADVANTAGE, YEAR'S AHEAD OF THERE TIME,,,,,,, NO WONDER CRAM AND OVETT COPIED WHAT EQUIPMENT COE WAS WEARING!!!!!!!!!

[@blackporscheroadster-yw8hb]

The current World Record is only 1 second faster. Incredible for 1981.

[@david2804me]

Is it not possible to enhance this video??

[@tskuhac]

1.39/40 with todays tech and tracks.

[@RandomGuy-dw7hf]

Imagine Coe, Kipketer and Rudisha all in the same race... That would be spectacular

[@gordonpobar-gk3kz]

And Coe would win

[@charlesporter1148]

Coe vs snell..... Coe himself wondered if he could beat the great and powerful snell...

[@paulwilliams8389]

Absolutely. How fast would Snell be running if he was in today's era as a full-time athlete with the super fast tracks and modern training methods? Difficult to compare athletes from different eras but Snell was the greatest ever over 800m in my opinion.

[@andyastrand]

It’s a sprint really from start to finish, just dividing the time by 8 gives absurd 100m times, 8 of them, back to back

[@paulrogers1714]

Wow I only just realised that Andy! His lungs must have been the same size of Pavarotti!

[@patsquires3654]

there can be no question that this is one of the greatest runs of all time, but a few weeks later coe ran the 1000m in 2.12.18 i think even a greater achivement, WHY ? he went through the first 800m i 1,44,5 thats quiker then steve ovett won the gold at the moscow olympics, no runner in 1981 ran an 800m faster then 1,45 except coe of course

[@brettdavies4953]

It was at least as good as the 800m record. To run 1.44.5 and keep going. No wonder the record lasted so long. He tied up in the straight, but it was a phenomenal performance.

[@APBCTechnique]

To me Coe was a failed 800m runner - 2 Olympic 800m failures, didn’t complete in the 800m world championships in 83, or 87. He only run once under 1:42 and once under 1:43. Under achieved at 800m despite an amazing talent and only man to sub 3:30 1500m and 1:42 800m Coe only ran 2 fast 800m 142:33 (79) 141:73 (81) Coe is nothing in the sight of Rudisha and kipketer, both was consistent and winners of global titles - Coe flopped on the global stage at 800m he had bad tactical races, injuries or sick again 😞 Look the stats below - Coe didn’t have the LONGEVITY as David or Wilson David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Wilson Kipketer also ran 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002).

[@andrewdeacon8315]

Rudisha and kipketer ran virtually every race of their career at 800m , Coe set 5 world records at other events, not to mention near world records , imagine how many fast 800’s he would have run if he’d only ran 800’s , also of course worlds didn’t start to 1983 and were every 4 years not every 2 years

[@mathematics5573]

Nature Care Osteopathy & physiolthereapy Well, now everyone knows what you think. Coe also held the 800m WR for years. I guess that means he failed.

[@APBCTechnique]

@@mathematics5573 Gold medals at 800m Olympics or worlds you keep forever, but Coe’s got none, WRs are transient and gone. Only Titles matter to runners.

[@mathematics5573]

@@APBCTechnique Great. Now go an plant your Tulip bulbs and weed the garden, and everyone will celebrate by watching the football.

[@Chrishagen]

Which pixel is Coe?

[@miodragperisic3591]

bravo Sebastian your winners based on .....?

[@joemcm1]

unreal-there was only really one person could trouble him at this sort of peak and that was ovett.....it was a fast track,ovett in 1978-80 pre olympics form would have beat him even here by a dip(and yes i am aware of ovetts pb at 800 but he was well capable of a lot faster)and i dont actually think he enjoyed the 800,strange thing to say about an european and olympic champion at that distance.........we will never really know of course

[@deano27671]

Ovett is on record as stating that over 800m he was "not as fast as Coe". Ovett should have been capable of 1:42 high/1:43 flat in a perfect paced race. There is no way Ovett could have run as fast as Coe with a best 400m relay split of 46.8 (79) compared to Coe's 45.5 (79).

[@joemcm1]

@@deano27671 thats the enigma of ovett-he was capable of tailing anyone fast/slow pace over 800-5000m and actually beating them.if u look at elliot and even someone like mckean(no disrespect to either as v good runners)noone will ever be able to convince me that ovett couldnt have beaten their personal bests.i have ovett as a low 1.42(possibly 1.41.5 runner) if going on times....but in fast championship races 1.43 ish id rate ovett to take them and olympic/major games were/won on times slower than those.we will never really know what ovett was capable of whereas we know what coe was.coe at his fastest would beat ovett but that sort of peak-peak is really a freak and a sort of one-off.championship racing is where its at and ovett beat coe in 1980 at his peak and im going to exclude the 1978 euro as coe wasnt quite a man yet.love to talk tho and i do value anyone opinions

[@deano27671]

@@joemcm1 yes, of course Ovett's 800m ability and potential was superior to Elliott's (1:42.98) and McKean's (1:43.88), who both were around 47.5 for 400m. Ovett had better change of pace and top end speed than either of them, and his over distance endurance was better as well imo. This made him very dangerous in championship and tactical races. This is why I wrote that I believed he could have run 1:42 high/ 1:43.0, which is at least as good as Elliott's very best. However, in terms of sustained 400m speed, he wasn't much better than either of those two. I do think he neglected his speed a little after 78, which is why we didn't see him improve his 800pb, together with the fact he didn't run many on the circuit, certainly for setting fast times. The reason Coe was able to run 1:42.3 in 79, is that he had markedly improved his 400m speed to 45.5 in a relay and 46.8 (which he was disappointed with) in an open 400m. This improved speed, coupled with a 1500 ability very similar to that of Ovett's, was how he was able to break the WR. Again in 81, when he ran a 45.6 relay about 90mins after front running a 1:44.0 800m, from a stumbling start, he had at least 46.0 open 400m ability. Ovett never ran this fast nor showed any indication of that sort of time in races and relays, with his best relay split being 46.8 (which equates to c. 47.5 for an open 400m). Yes, Ovett won the Olympic 800 in Moscow, but as good as he was (and he deserved to win), that win was helped by Coe running a diabolical tactical race (Ovett had a similar nadir in Helsinki 83, a race he should have won). Ovett proved to be the better 800m competitor on the day, but he didn't have better 800m ability. Ironically, one of the reasons Coe came back to win the 1500m, other than running a good tactical race, was because the first laps were slow and it ended up being a sustained drive over the last 800m.

[@joemcm1]

@@deano27671 some good points mate and i do agree to a certain point about ovetts basic sprinting speed(400m-which however was set when he was about 17) and coe having the edge at 800m on both their 'bestish' days.ovett rarely ran 800m up until moscow and still won gold tho and in 1978 which i discount even tho ovett was only a year older than coe.i do have a BIGGER question tho-who was the better natural athlete and if it was ovett,what would someone like Peter Coe have done with ovett? coe was driven by Peter whereas ovett pretty much trained himself.i think Peter Coe could have made ovett at least go to 1.41 around 1979 and the 1500m and mile,i think ovett with Peter could have smashed them out of the ball park by seconds.i think if we had ever got the chance to ask Peter Coe who he rated best,he would have said ovett,they were that scared of him.youve got the 'fastest/best' middle distance athlete of a generation/all time in coe and yet there was someone better...........unreal that they were about at the same time.the l.a olympics should have settled it but for that blooming smog....ovett never raced to get beaten and yet he had that 'give him it' attitude that coe never had. two enigmas v annoying both of them

[@deano27671]

I've just uploaded an 800m race he ran a week earlier in London.

[@stuartwalker6786]

Imagine what the time "could" have been with modern tracks and shoes and Konchella moving out of the way at 410m..............It has to all add up to 1.74 seconds :/ :)

[@maurizioferrero221]

I bei tempi dell'atletica di primo nebbiolo quando l'antidoping era una cosa seria come dimostrano il record delle ragazze della Germania dell'est e della Cecoslovacchia

[@karlos55555]

If anyone ran like that today you would think they were juiced up 🤔

[@robinbauer1975]

looks like he could have gone sub 1:40 tbh

[@musik102]

Where's Coleman's enthusiasm at the end of the race? He must have became very blasé with Coe's record breaking by then.

[@99999rus]

Respond to this video...

[@litespeed65]

Imagine if this was clear...

[@Will-xx4qs]

this track is slow and he ran that time

[@khafail6902]

Has to be juiced. This would equate to around a 1:39 if run today on a better track and Coe had faster spikes

[@deano27671]

They didn't have EPO in 1981, and the testing (though not as good as today generally) would have been as good as what Kenyan athletes have been subjected to up until about 3 or 4 years ago; namely, at championships and after world records. Tracks are not 2 secs better now! That is a ridiculous claim to make. The difference between a 1970's synthetic track and the lastest mondo tracks such as the one in Doha, is probably about 0.3/0.4 secs a lap. That makes Coe's run here worth about 1:41.0; a few tenths faster had he not had to pass the rabbit on the 3rd bend, causing him to run an extra 1.5-2m wide. Then of course you have tothink about the latest Nike design in shoes/spikes. The ones worn by Brazier in winning the World Champs in Doha are said to be on a par with the technology used in the road flats used by Kipchoge in his recent 1hr 59:41. Certainly they would be lighter and give more energy return than Coe's spikes from 1981. We can only, at this stage, hazard a guess as to what % improvement the latest spikes give, but I'm sure Brazier would have run closer to 1:42.6/1:42.7 had he run in different spikes.

[@richardmilliken5651]

@@deano27671 Great points!! There are quite a few haters out there that can't handle how great Coe was in the 800/1500 meters. It's too bad that Ovett & Coe didn't race against each other more often in the 1500/ mile.

[@benbim540]

@@deano27671 so what u thinking 1.40.50.

[@deano27671]

@@benbim540 I spoke to Coe at a book signing in 2012 and asked him what he felt he could have run 800m later in 81 season had he had a few more paced attacks at it. He said that he felt he could have run 1:41.2. I then asked what he could have done on the current (as of 2012) mondo tracks like the one they had in London for the Olympics, and he said, "Oh, well, then a few tenths faster". I think if he hadn't had the injury and then illnesses in 82 and 83, that he could have broken 1:41. With today's tracks and new spikes, then probably 1:40 low.

[@benbim540]

@@deano27671 I didn't get the end of that could u please resend it.

[@bestpromos6435]

I HATE Sebastian Coe!

[@nati4124]

Haha on of the best drugged World Record of the 80's still in play. Coe the fraud 👏👏🤘

[@cattycats4]

no coincidence the serial liar Coe became a politician, an absolute disgraceful human being

[@paulwilliams8389]

@@cattycats4 Come on. I'm no fan of Coe's politics either but he never failed a drug test nor was there ever even a whiff of a rumour regarding him taking anything illegal.

[@DC-wp6oj]

All good and well before the Kenyans got going

[@James_swim_technique_coach]

suspicious by today's standards

[@cattycats4]

"there is hardly a medal winner at the Moscow Games, certainly not a gold medal winner...who is not on one sort of drug or another: usually several kinds. The Moscow Games might well have been called the Chemists' Games." Seb Coe in 1980 Chemists Games - Gold in 1500m, Silver in 800m , fastest final 100m recorded ever. 1984 Olympics Silver 800m, Gold 1500m new OR , his 7th race in 9 days... What do steroids/testosterone do - endurance and recovery. Setting a new Olympic record in your 7th race in 9 days during an Olympics where everyone was heavily doped up to counter the excessive doping of the Moscow Olympics 4 years prior (Americas way of equalling) its not even suspicious, its nailed on. The British equivalent of Jarmila Kratochvílová in athlete terms apart from he wasnt as genetically gifted as Jarmila and his doped up records have since been beaten although clearly still way beyond what a natural athlete is capable of. Why do you think the old GDR records were not erased from the history books? To do that would also mean the removal of all the other beyond any doubt whatsoever drugged up records from 1972 onwards. Whose records would also be deleted and disgraced? The head of the IAAF Seb Coe.... Why do I make a point of this, I like athletes, I like known dopers. I hate serial liars, I hate dishonest politicians who make hate campaigns against some (Gatlin) and praise others (Bolt, Farah etc) controlling positions of power within the sport in order for corruption to breed. London 2012 was very successful for British athletes, suspiciously so, we know that state doping is used to make home countries do well in Olympics but to demonize others when Seb Coe himself was a notorious drug abuser is crossing a line of decency and for that he deserves to be called out and seen for what he really is, a complete turd of a human being.

[@mickeymouse7861]

Yeah, and the Earth is flat.

[@deano27671]

You offer an overtly biased opinion based on your political views. Gatlin was a twice convicted doper. Bolt never failed a drug test and neither did Farah; though I have my own suspicions of him, I have no proof, and if there was anything untoward going on it would be down to the BAAB and have nothing to do with Coe. Put up some actual evidence or shut up.

[@paulwilliams8389]

Where is your evidence that Coe was a "notorious drug abuser"? I get that you don't like him as a person but those are some pretty serious allegations.

[@cattycats4]

@@paulwilliams8389 the quote "there is hardly a medal winner at the Moscow Games, certainly not a gold medal winner...who is not on one sort of drug or another: usually several kinds." was from an official source and Coe medalled as detailed above I dont need to repeat the same things, his times reflected heavy drug use with no athlete since being able to replicate those times without being heavily doped. It can be proven beyond reasonable doubt. After 84 Coe pulled out of a few races suspiciously because he wouldve failed tests. dont take my word for it, look it up, research the 1980 and 1984 Olympics and find out why they are called the Chemical Games and why they are among the dirtiest Olympics and how nobody was clean, theres lot of things youll find out that will resolve your concerns. The way Coe ran reflected heavy drug use, he wasnt genetically quick he won via strength endurance which is exactly the advantage steroids gave. Think about all the other known dopers of the time that he beat, theres no way a clean athlete could ever compete with GDR doping in endurance events, talent wouldve been left behind. As much as I dont mind doping I think it should be legal and Coe was a fantastic runner on the dope, but for his corruption , political agendas like the 2012 London games where all the British athletes were doped like the Russian winter Olympics scandal, he deserves both barrells because hes pretending and conning the audience and also putting across agendas like Bolt vs Gatlin where Gatlin was demonized unfairly while Bolt who was on more dope than anyone and was cool enough to protect Gatlin from criticism. Seb Coe is a cunt.

[@APBCTechnique]

To me Coe was a failed 800m runner - 2 Olympic 800m failures, didn’t complete in the 800m world championships in 83, or 87. He only run once under 1:42 and once under 1:43. Under achieved at 800m despite an amazing talent and only man to sub 3:30 1500m and 1:42 800m Coe only ran 2 fast 800m 142:33 (79) 141:73 (81) Coe is nothing in the sight of Rudisha and kipketer, both was consistent and winners of global titles - Coe flopped on the global stage at 800m he had bad tactical races, injuries or sick again 😞 Look the stats below - Coe didn’t have the LONGEVITY as David or Wilson David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Wilson Kipketer also ran 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002).

[@deano27671]

like comparing apples with oranges, in that they were totally different eras and Coe was a middle distance runner, not an 800 specialist. Taking into consideration all Coe’s races and comparing them to all Rudisha’s or Kipketer’s, then Coe’s career, in terms of world records, Olympic medals and world rankings, is superior to both Kenyans. They didn’t have a Golden League or Diamond League circuit when Coe was in his prime, and he had to run a certain number of domestic and international match races, that were invariably tactical races, each year, something neither Kip or Rudisha was restricted by. They ran on a circuit where they were given a pacer through 400m in 50 secs or faster practically every week! Coe was taken to the bell in 50.0 flat or faster just twice in his career, 1:41.7, 1:43.0. Rudisha’s championship record over 800 is better than Coe’s over 800, but Kipketer’s record in the Olympics and Europeans is not as good as Coe’s. You clearly ignore the fact that in Kipketer’s era he had World Championships every 2 years, both indoor and outdoor, whereas there were no World Champs at all during Coe’s best years (79 - 83) and thereafter only every 4 years. So of course if someone has loads more opportunities to run an event they will likely win some. You can compare Rudisha’s and Kipketer’s championship records, as they both competed in eras where the opportunities were the same, although as a Danish National, you have to exclude Kipketer’s achievements in European Champs. I think it’s pretty obvious!

[@APBCTechnique]

@@deano27671 Comparing Coe Rudisha & Kipketer at world level Seb Coe 1.42:33 1979 1:41:73 1981 Olympic 800m Golds zero World championship 800m Zero David Rudisha also ran 1:41.01 (2010), 1:41.09 (2010), 1:41.33 (2011), 1:41.51 (2010), 1:41.54 (2012), 1:41.74 (2012), 1:42.01 (2009), 1:42.04 (2010), 1:42.12A (2012) and 1:42.15 (2016). Double Olympic champion 800m 2012/16 Treble world 800m champion 2011/2015 Wilson Kipketer 1:41.24 (1997), 1:41.73 (1997), 1:41.83 (1996), 1:42.17 (1996), 1:42.20 (1997), 1:42.27 (1999) and 1:42.32 (2002). 95 world 800m 97 world 800m 99 World 800m 97 World indoor 800m

[@deano27671]

@@APBCTechnique Nonsense on so many levels: Coe had 1 real opportunity to compete in a World Champs during his best years and that was 83, when he was ill. I seem to recall Kipketer missing some championships when he was ill with malaria, but in his era he could make amends as the Worlds were every 2 years. He also had bi-annual World Indoors, which Coe never had. Coe did win a World Cup gold against a field that was overall better than that he faced in Moscow. The World Cup competitions which pre dated the 83 World Champs were considered as World titles at the time by the IAAF In terms of longevity, Coe won a gold in the European Indoors in 77 and gold outdoors in 86. He was the 4th fastest man in the world over 800m in 1977 and the 2nd fastest in 89, some 12 years later. Kipketer only broke into the top 10 fastest men in a season in 94, at the age of 23. His last season in the top 10 was in 2004, when he was No. 6. That is a span of 10 years. Rudisha was No. 9 fastest in 2007 and his last season in top 10 was 2016, which is 9 years. So Coe clearly had the longest career over 800m. The choice of Snell as the greatest middle distance runner of all time just reinforces what a hypocrite you are! You slam Coe for lack of longevity (falsely) and lack of fast times, yet you offer Snell as the best. Lol. He only appeared in the World Top 10 lists in 4 years (1960, 61, 62 & 64) and only broke 1:46 twice! And he competed at a time when there were a lot fewer nations competing at the top level. His 1:44.3 on grass, great as it was, certainly didn't indicate anything faster than a 1:43 flat. He went through the 660y in 1:16.9 and then produced a last 220 of 28.2! He was practically dying on his feet at the end. He also considered grass faster than cinders, and dirt was something like 0.7 secs per 400m slower than synthetic.

[@APBCTechnique]

@@deano27671 lots of mediocre 800m times by Coe in those 12 years. Except 79 & 81 only 2 quick 800m runs and zero global 800m titles. Unlike Snell 2 global 800m Olympic titles. Snell willingly retired in 64 after Tokyo Olympics at 25 as he had no competition. Running on cinders is a lot slower I ran on them as a boy and then we got a taran rubber track and I improved 2 and half seconds in the 800m to break 2 mins in 1:59.4 at 16 and I was at 2 min 2 before and 3.5 seconds faster in the 1500m. All my running buddies was the same. Even my 400m buddies was running a 0.7 to 1.3 second quicker. Those tartan tracks in the 60’s were very slow. Snells 1.44:3 on grass was worth a 1:42 on a tartan track with modern spikes for sure. You thought Coe was in shape to win the 88 Olympics at 1500m, so by what you said again Coe missed 2 opportunities to win a world 800m title in 83 & 87. Snell took up running at 17 not 11 like Coe and was an international at 19 and won his first Olympics at 21 800m and again 25 at 800m & 1500m double - only man to do it since 1924. Snell never reached his potential at 800m or 1500m and Snell had to work full time, Coe did not. Put Snell on decent training, diet and sponsored like Coe and on a tartan track in good spikes then Snell would possible beat Coe

[@deano27671]

@@APBCTechnique No, I have read loads of articles and discussions online re the difference between cinders and synthetic, over many years, and the consensus has been that synthetic (first generation, not current Mondo) is between 0.5 and 1.0 secs per lap faster than cinders, depending on how well kept the cinder track is, rainfall, etc. This is backed up by the findings of David Epstein (author of 'The Sports Gene') and tests he asked biomechanics to carry out. They came to the conclusion that there was about 1.5% more energy return on synthetic (though it did not say whether they used original 70's synthetic; it is doubtful) tracks compared to cinders. That works out at about 0.78 secs per lap in an 800m. Snell is on record as saying that a perfectly kept grass track (on which he set his 1:44.3/1:45.1 WRs) was faster than a cinder one. Thus we can say with some confidence that it would have been less than that during his run. I'd estimate somewhere around 0.5 secs a lap, meaning Snell would probably have run 1:43 low on a 70's synthetic track when he broke the WR in 1962. This would have maintained him as WR holder until Coe ran a second faster in 79. But then Snell only ran 2 fast times ever in his career: 1:44.3 and 1:45.1. He never ran another sub 1:46. Coe was either a full time student or working in various capacities throughout his track career, unlike Cram and Ovett, who were full time athletes. Coe was only a full time athlete in the year leading up to Moscow. Snell never had the basic speed (45.5 400m ability) to have beaten Coe. He was tying up badly (28.2 last 220y) in his fastest ever run, suggesting he was near his limit in that run.