Steve Ovett, Commonwealth 5000m 1986

Steve Ovett's last championship medal in the 1986 Commonwealth Games. By this time he was past his best and had moved up to 5000m to contest his first championship race at the distance. By winning, he extended his extraordinary range, having already won Olympic gold at 800m as well as 1500m golds at the Europeans & two World Cups.
Here he can be seen beating team mates Hutchings and Jack Buckner, who would go on to win the European title at the same distance less than a month later. In that Stuttgart race, Ovett was forced to retire with another chest infection. The anticipated clash with Aouita at the following year's World Championships in Rome never really materialised, and Ovett was never a force again.
Sit back and enjoy his last great triumph.

[@linrob1312]

John Walker was a tremendous athlete, one NZ was extremely proud of, who was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease not long after retirement. To achieve what he did was amazing.

[@playthatgeetar]

Nice to see a post from another Steve fan. I got his autograph at the National at Leeds when he finished 4th. He was so gracious. The greatest ever at so many different distances. Olympic Champion at 800m and world class at half marathon, inter-counties XC champion (stuffing Steve Jones). What a runner!

[@joemcm1]

and missed off the footage-peter coe was there at the end to shake his hand to say goodbye to the coes greatest rival.respect

[@paulwilliams8389]

Peter Coe had huge respect for Ovett. I remember an interview with him where he was asked "Discounting Seb, who would you rate as the greatest middle-distance runner of all-time?" He answered without hesitation "Steve Ovett."

[@MikeFloutier]

Delightful, thank you Deano! 🏃‍♂️🍾❤️

[@sebcoe81]

Sincerest thanks for uploading Deano - I have raced at Meadowbank Stadium several times very humbling to think I have raced on the same track as Ovett and Cram albeit many years apart.

[@nihonbunka]

Beautiful.

[@runningshoe1]

Not a lot of people can claim to have won major titles at 800 and 5000

[@johnmc3862]

Commonwealth games major?

[@deano27671]

@ARRISIPPY Thanks. I can imagine. I was up to 3am and had a headache when I woke up! If I get another spare hour or so I might try and get the missing 2 secs of coverage, although what I have cuts out literally as he crosses the line.

[@201081hero]

The last hurrah for Ovett thats for sure but an Olympic/European/Commonwealth champion at three different distances.

[@deano27671]

I've spent hours dowloading this bloody race about 4 times now, and each time it misses off the last few seconds of the race! This is the best effort so far, only missing a second of what was left, so that will have to do folks! Sorry!

[@martynhanson]

What you have to remember is that Buckner and Hutchings were in the top notch world category and they were trounced. I hate this modern getting too carried away with times when it comes to proper races. Wasn't the Olympic 5000m recently won in 13-40 odd? Did anybody say that was a worthless race? I think not!!!!!!1

[@peterpeterxxo]

you are right, most major championship finals are run 'in the head'..its all about tactics and making your move at the right time depending on what you think the other blokes are capable of..i noticed on wikipedia the 1983 wc 1500 final crams winning time was slower than one on the guys who didnt even qualify from the heats to the semi final even.

[@deano27671]

@7agneskickingbird7 I think Coe said something similar to that! Ovett was not quite the same after the church railings injury at the end of 81, although by late 83 he was almost back to his very best. Unfortunately the LA incident ruined him, and he just didn't have the leg speed to mix it with the big guns at 1500 and especially 800m from 85 onwards. Whether he was on a natural decline from 84 onwards, or whether it was all down to the respiratory problems, we'll never know for certain.

[@WithBACON]

IMHO, his training had much to do with it. Unlike Seb and Aouita, Ovett did not do strength training to the best of my knowledge as a mature athlete. Lack of strength training plus an emphasis on high-volume endurance training is a recipe for losing one's speed--and of a needlessly early and sharp decline in one's abilities as an athlete, and not only in runners--I see it boxers, basketball players, etc.

[@deano27671]

@yellcarreon You're welcome. I don't have the 73 one I'm afraid. Sorry. I've got others though that aren't on here at the moment, so will download some more of Ovett & Coe soon.

[@ianbarnett5051]

Not that it matters but could have run 13:10 or quicker that day.

[@deano27671]

@201081hero Yes, pretty amazing! I can't think of anyone else whose achieved that in 3 different events!?

[@gmaccruyff55]

Christ,can we not see him crossing the line?

[@athleticscoach2012]

@deano27671 I also think changing his training and going to Australia in winter instead of doing xc didn't suit him. His bio also mentioned training 3 times a day doing that ,along with the railings is not going to help your speed. I'm sure he knew a lot more about running than me though so who knows. He certainly still shifted here! He did have a long career as well in that he was so good so young.

[@201081hero]

@houghgree2 He wasnt 100% fit going into Stuttgart because of a recent bout of flu, barely qualified for the final and dropped out at 3km in the final.

[@deano27671]

@ARRISIPPY I've just uploaded Ovett's 1500m win in the 81 World Cup. Not sure the nationality of the commentators, but its all there!

[@blind47]

has anyone got coverage of jack buckners 86 euro 5ooo meters victory?

[@201081hero]

@deano27671 In the era of the three championships (and later the World Championships) there isnt anybody else who can claim such a feat. World records - yes, but championships - no.

[@7agneskickingbird7]

Ovett probably should have called it quits after 1986 and finished his career on a high

[@paulwilliams8389]

He did show some good form over 5000m in 1987 but sadly the heat in Rome ruined his chances of making any kind of decent performance at the World Championships.

[@redrum4100]

Disagree. 1st: running was surely Ovett's best way of securing finances for a future family. 2nd: why give up something you love bearing in mind you're a long time retired? 3rd: more importantly, Ovett genuinely believed he would, & set out to, break the 5000m world record in 87. When he sussed he didn't enjoy 5000s, he went back to 1500m expecting to qualify for the 88 Olympics. I believe would have done so had he more confidence in himself (he could & should have beat Crabb at the trials).

[@deankeith830]

Red Rum CRAM !!!

[@siypic]

There was a Steve Crabb...@@deankeith830

[@markgregamy]

he should have run faster and you would have got him in, i remember when ovett was talking about beating aouita at 5000 and then aouita ran that magical 12.58 and ovett said he felt like jumping of beachy head, as he knew he would never break aouita at his age. thanks for up loading, why did ovett run so badly in workd final in 87 at 5k, he had bad run.

[@joemcm1]

late reply-the heat did for ovett in 1987 just look where buckner and hutchings finished