Written by Brett Davies – (C) Runner’s Tribe
October the 9th this year marked the 70th birthday of British superstar, Steve Ovett, one of the greatest middle distance runners in history. From an ordinary working class upbringing in the coastal East Sussex town of Brighton, Ovett went on to success at the highest level of the sport for over a decade, with multiple world records and global titles.
If you were to genetically engineer the perfect middle distance runner in a lab, you might well design your athlete with Ovett in mind. He had a range of PBs unheard of at the time. From a 47.5 400m to a 65.38 half marathon, Ovett could do it all. He won major championship titles over 800m, 1500m and 5000m, ran world records in the 1500m, mile and 2 miles and national records over 800m, 1000m, 1500m, mile, 2000m and 2 miles. Ovett ran 6 world records over his career and won medals at the Olympics (one gold, one bronze), European Championships (one gold, two silver), Commonwealth Games (gold) and World Cup (two gold).
His career became inextricably linked with that of fellow Brit Sebastian Coe – now World Athletics President – and the two men, separated by just 11 months, would create one of the great rivalries in sporting history. It was a rivalry that began in the late 70’s and culminated in two epic Olympic showdowns over 800m and 1500m in Moscow in 1980, that captivated the sporting world and their clashes over about a decade were the stuff of legend.
The teenaged Steve Ovett was focused on the sprints and 800m races in his high school years, but dabbled in some longer races. By 1972, he had already run 1.52 for 800m and sub 50 for 400m as a 16 year old, when he met coach Harry Wilson at a junior event at London’s Crystal Palace. Wilson, a former Welsh 6 mile champion and co-founder of the British Milers’ Club, encouraged Ovett to develop his endurance and run cross country, with a view to running longer distances as he matured as an athlete. Wilson was, not unlike BMC (British Milers’ Club) colleague Frank Horwill, a widely-respected and innovative coach and he saw something special in Ovett. Wilson began, with the blessing of Ovett’s supportive parents, to map out the future path for this sensational young talent.
In the next few years, Ovett began to realise his potential. He won the European Junior title in 1973 at 17 and by 18, he had broken 4 minutes for the mile and won the AAA Championships over 800m at Crystal Palace that year (1974). The big goal for the year was to medal at the European Championships. He exceeded even his and Wilson’s predictions, with a silver medal behind the brilliant Yugoslavian Luciano Susanj (1.45.76 to Susanj’s 1.44.07). It was a European junior record for Ovett and it represented a major career breakthrough.
Ovett made the Olympic team in 1976 and was a creditable 5th, running a PB of 1.45.40 behind Alberto Juantorena (CUB), who ran a WR of 1.43.50, Ivo van Damme (BEL), Rick Wohlhuter (USA) and Willi Wulbeck (FRG). He was in a rough and tumble semi final of the 1500m and only just missed out on the final, clearly thrown by the jostling during the race. He would have been an outside chance at a medal with his speed in what was a slow, tactical final won by John Walker (NZL).
It was over the next few years that Ovett came into his own and became a dominant figure in the sport. Between 1977 and 1980, Ovett was undefeated over 1500m and the mile and had big wins in races from 800m to 5000m. For over a decade, Ovett was a major figure in the sport and his rivalry with Coe inspired a generation of young British athletes, leading to one of the most successful periods of middle distance running by a single nation in the sport’s history.
Here are Ovett’s 10 greatest career performances:
1. Olympic Games 800m, Moscow, July 1980:
This was one of the biggest upset victories of the 1980 Games. Coe and Ovett were the two big favourites for the 800m and 1500m and the general consensus was that Coe would win the 800m and Ovett would win the 1500m.
Both men were in top form. Coming off an incredibly successful 1979, where he broke three world records in 41 days (800m, 1500m & 1 mile), Coe continued his form into the Olympic year, after an extensive build up phase over winter, where he increased his mileage and maintained his weights and plyometric workouts. Ovett stepped up his mileage as well. He was injury-free and as well-prepared as any season in his career.
In the weeks before the Games held in late July/early August, Ovett equalled Coe’s 1500m record (3.32.09, rounded up to 3.32.1) in a comfortable win over a top field in Oslo. He then broke Coe’s mile record (3.48.8, taking two tenths of a second off Coe’s old mark). In the same meeting in Oslo, Coe broke Rick Wohlhuter’s 1000m record ( 2.13.4). He had also run some fast 800m races and easily won a Yorkshire title over 5000m.
The pressure was on both men prior to the Games. The fields for both races had been considerably diminished due to the boycott of several nations, due to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan and athletes such as reigning 1500m champion John Walker, Steve Scott (USA), Thomas Wessinghage (FRG) and Don Paige (USA) would not face the two Brits.
The 800m heats were relatively uneventful, with Coe, Ovett and most of the other fancied athletes going through comfortably. The 800m final would draw one of the biggest global TV audiences in Olympic history.
Clearly, the race was Coe’s to lose, as he was more than one and a half seconds quicker than anyone else in the field. Ovett had other ideas and he flipped the script in the most awe-inspiring fashion. The field included the two East Germans Andreas Busse and Detlef Wagenknecht, Jose Marajo (FRA), Agberto Guimaraes (BRA), Nikolai Kirov (URS) and the third British athlete Dave Warren.
There was plenty of jostling early on as athletes jockeyed for position early in the race, with Ovett in the thick of it. Wagenknecht, the 193cm behemoth, was doing most of the damage, knocking Ovett sideways up the back straight. The pace slowed dramatically after 250m and Warren led, with Ovett boxed and Coe at the back of the pack, running wide, looking uninterested in the race and vulnerable to a sudden surge at the front. Ovett was jostled again by Wagenknecht and had to squeeze through a gap between Kirov and Wagenknecht. Guimaraes and Warren shared the lead going into the second lap after a pedestrian first lap (54.55). Warren immediately accelerated into the lead and Kirov went to Warren’s shoulder at 500m, then into the lead, with Ovett covering the Russian, waiting to make his move.
Coe, meanwhile, was about six or seven metres adrift, seemingly sleepwalking through the biggest race of his career. Ovett was still sitting on Kirov, biding his time with 170m to go, and it was only at this point that Coe suddenly sprang to life and gave chase, though with Ovett about 5 metres in front of Coe, it was apparent the race was already over.
Ovett entered the straight and kicked past Kirov, just as Coe had closed to within 3 metres and Ovett was away for an incredible victory. Coe gradually reeled Kirov in to claim the silver. Ovett’s time was 1.45.40 to Coe’s 1.45.85. Kirov was third in 1.46.00. Ovett was as shocked as anyone in the stands or watching on TV. He had beaten the seemingly unbeatable Coe in stunning fashion. Ovett had run the final lap in 50.6 in an extraordinary display of finishing speed. Coe was devastated and clearly had had a difficult time coping with the immense pressure of expectation. Coe was criticised after the medal ceremony – perhaps unfairly – as some had seen him as being a sore loser. British-based Australian TV presenter Clive James famously said of Coe “When Ovett shook Coe’s hand, Coe looked like he’d been handed a turd”.
Ovett, for his part, was clearly over the moon with his unexpected triumph and celebrated perhaps a little too hard after the race, getting drunk with some Irish tourists, and found it difficult to motivate himself for the 1500m. Coe famously dragged himself up from the depths of despair to win the 1500m in one of the great comeback victories in distance running history. Ovett tried hard in the 1500m final, but was psychologically not up to the task on the day, though he managed to win the bronze behind Coe and Jurgen Straub (GDR), who ran the race of his life. The 800m in Moscow was Ovett’s only Olympic gold and was the most significant win of his illustrious career.
2. World Cup 1500m, Dusseldorf, September 1977:
This was a masterclass in tactical 1500m running from Ovett and was described by no less an authority than Sebastian Coe as the ‘definitive piece of 1500m running’. This was a career-defining performance that elevated Ovett from a top international contender to a bona fide superstar.
The World Cup Competition was, before the inaugural World Championships in 1983, a de facto World Championship. Each event was contested by individuals from Continental teams (Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, The Americas),, as well as national teams from the three dominant athletics nations (USA, URS, GDR), plus a host nation competitor, in this case, a West German athlete.
Ovett’s 1977 season had been going well. He had been a consistent top performer all year. He won the Debenhams Games 1 mile event at Crystal Palace over a top field, outkicking Walker, Wilson Waigwa and other stars and he broke the British record (3.54.69). He won a slow European Cup race where he showcased his incredible finishing speed (24.9 last 200m) and he ran a rare 5000m in Gateshead in a huge PB of 13.25.0 in spikes half a size too small that he’d borrowed from Bernie Ford, though he was completely outclassed by Ethiopian legend Miruts Yifter (AKA ‘Yifter the Shifter’) who won in 13.20.6.
Curiously, Ovett decided to enter the Dartford Half Marathon a couple of weeks before the Dusseldorf race. He initially had thought of it as a training run, but felt good and found himself in the lead and just kept going, winning comfortably in 1.05.38. This shocked many British coaches at the time, who had thought this was insane. Coe said in an interview that running a half marathon like this so close to a World Cup 1500m or any major middle distance race was like ‘tearing up the training book’. An easy 1.48 800m a few days before going to Germany however, indicated to Ovett that he was ready for a big race.
Ovett, representing Europe, would face reigning Olympic Champion John Walker, who was running for Oceania, local star Thomas Wessinghage (FRG), Jurgen Straub (GDR), Steve Scott (USA). Abderahmane Morceli (Africa) – who is the brother of Noureddine, incidentally. Dave Hill (Americas) and Takashi Ishii (Asia) made up the field of 8 runners.
The clash between Walker and Ovett was one of the most keenly anticipated events of this inaugural World Cup. The Olympic champion Walker was in superb form, having run a virtually solo 3.32.72 1500m at the Ivo van Damme meeting in Brussels and he struck an intimidating figure on the track. Wessinghage was also running well, had beaten Walker that season, and was obviously keen to run well in front of his home crowd. Ovett, though, was clearly the danger man. Mindful of Ovett’s lethal kick, there was an understanding between Walker and Wessinghage that the pace had to be reasonably quick from the gun, in order to try and take the edge off Ovett’s finishing speed.
Wessinghage took off and set a very solid pace, covering the first lap in 56.48, tracked by Walker and Ovett, who looked as smooth as silk. Walker went to the front and kept the tempo going, with Ovett sitting in second or third.
Walker took the field through 800m in 1.54.98 and Ovett was in cruise mode behind him. Walker pressed on and the field began to string out. between 900m and 1000m, Walker seemed to back off a little, conserving energy for a final lap kickdown. Just before the bell, Hill made a big move to the front and pushed into the lead, tracked by Ovett who was clearly just biding his time, waiting to unleash his monster kick. Hill passed 1200m in 2.54.91 and Ovett moved to his shoulder, with Walker and Wessinghage just behind the Brit.
At 1300m, Ovett stepped on the gas and within 40 metres, he had opened a 5 metre gap on Wessinghage, who chased hard, though the race was effectively already over. At 1350m, Walker, who was already about 10 metres behind Ovett, stepped off the track. To this day, he still can’t explain why. The Olympic champ struck a forlorn figure walking along the infield. Ovett covered the 100m between 1300m and 1400m in about 12 seconds flat, then switched off down the home straight, waving to the crowd. He still covered the last 200m in about 25.7. He won easily with a European record of 3.34.45, from Wessinghage (3.35.98) and Straub (3.37.50).
Ovett had arrived as the man to watch in global middle distance running in the most spectacular fashion.
3. European Championships 1500m, Prague, August 1978:
This race was another Ovett classic, as he stamped his authority on a field of Europe’s elite milers with another superb display.Ovett decided on the 800m/1500m double and was a big favourite in both events. In the first event, the 800m, Ovett and Coe would clash in a senior major championship for the first time in their careers.
Coe had just run a British 800m record (1.44.25) in the days before the heats in Prague and at just 21, appeared to have almost unlimited potential at the event. Coe’s strategy of going hard from the gun (49.32 @ 400m) to run the finish out of Ovett was working well until Coe ran out of gas in the home straight. He was passed by Ovett who looked certain of victory, before GDR’s Olaf Beyer stormed past in the final 15 metres to claim gold (1.43.84). Ovett ran a new British record of 1.44.09 – huge confidence builder for the 1500m – and Coe held on for bronze (1.44.76).
Ovett was primed for a big win in the 1500m, though he had some challengers for the top step of the podium. Ovett’s compatriot Dave Moorcroft had just won the Commonwealth title from the reigning champ and world record-holder Filbert Bayi (TAN). He was a 1976 Olympic finalist and was also a very solid finisher. Another class athlete with a renowned finishing kick was ‘Chairman of the Boards’, Irish star Eamonn Coghlan. Coghlan’s moniker stemmed from his dominance of indoor mile races in the USA. He had been in the 1976 Olympic final also, where he finished 4th. Were it not for a poor tactical performance (by his own admission), he may well have won gold. Another man to watch was Thomas Wessinghage, who was developing into a serious threat to the likes of Ovett and Walker. Other athletes in the mix were the third Brit John Robson, Beyer, Straub, the erratic Frenchman Jose Marajo, Anttii Loikkanen (FIN) and veteran home country hero Josef Plachy.
The gun went for the final and Beyer took it out at an even clip, with the pack bunched up behind him. Ovett was sitting in the bunch behind him, looking nonchalant. Frenchman Gonzalez led through the opening lap (57,51) and opened a small gap, before the pack reeled him in. There was a lot of jostling in the bunch as Gonzalez led through 800m in 1.57.73. Ovett and Wessinghage were sitting on Gonzalez as the pace had slowed slightly and the pack began to bunch up.
Ovett was in third behind Wessinghage and coming into the final lap, Straub moved into the lead and began to wind up the pace. Ovett slotted into third behind Loikkanen. Straub went through 1200m in 2.56.72, when Lokkanen took the lead, Ovett just behind, with Moorcroft moving up. Ovett, just like Dusseldorf the year before, accelerated at the 1300m mark and opened a 5 metre gap over Loikkanen in the space of 50m. Moorcroft challenged the Finn as Ovett cruised into the straight with his now famous wave to the crowd. He won in 3.35.59, covering the last 200m Moorcroft looked like he had the silver sewn up, but Coghlan (3.36.57) just got to him in the final 5 metres to relegate Moorcroft (3.36.70) to the bronze. Wessinghage was fourth. The three men behind Ovett eventually found success at 5000m. Coghlan won the World Championships in 1983, Moorcroft smashed the world record in 1982 and Wessinghage won a European title in 1982. British Olympic medallist and world record breaker Brendan Foster believes that Ovett’s complete dominance over the field in this European Championship 1500m was the catalyst for Coghlan, Moorcroft and Wessinghage ultimately making the move to the 5000m.
4. Commonwealth Games 5000m, Edinburgh, July 1986:
Ovett’s final big championship win was one of his most popular and, with all due respect to the likes of his English teammates Tim Hutchings and Jack Buckner and New Zealand’s John Walker, it was seemingly one of his easiest at the top level.
Hutchings was a seasoned international distance star, who had run fourth in the LA Olympics in 1984 as well as winning silver in the World Cross Country Championships the same year. He had recovered well from a slight injury and under coach Frank Horwill, he had come into Edinburgh well prepared. The only chink in his armour was his lack of a finishing kick. Jack Buckner had been a promising miler who had moved up to the 5000m and was running well during the 1986 season, and for many, was a very real threat to Ovett. Walker ran a 13.19.28 5000m in Cork, a PB at the age of 34, and he was another outside threat to his old mate Ovett. There was also Williams and McCloy from Canada and local Scottish veteran, Nat Muir.
The English men had, with the likes of Roger Black, Steve Cram and Jon Solly, been the dominant force in the Games’ track events. Ovett was looking to add another gold for England.
Ovett had done well in the previous two seasons after his disappointing Olympic campaign in 1984, though was just a little below his brilliant best and battled for consistent results. In 1986 he had decided to focus on 5000m races, though would still regularly race over 1500m and the 1 mile. In the lead up to the Games, Ovett had a couple of big wins in Ireland. He won the Ulster Games 5000m in a PB (13.20.06) and the mile in Cork (3.52.99), over some big names. His final tune up race for Edinburgh was a 3.34.50 1500m win over Mike Hillardt (AUS) in Paris.
Kerry Rodger, the second Kiwi, took on the pace from the gun, with the Canadians taking turns at leading and they took the pace through 4 laps in 13.20 pace. The pack reeled in the Canadians after about 5 and a half laps.
With 6 laps to go, Hutchings injected some pace and went through 3000m in 8.08.75. with a substantial 25 metre gap on the bunch.
Bucker led the chase and gradually pulled the field back to Hutchings and Walker had dropped off the pack and was out of the race. Buckner, Williams and Ovett were now up with Hutchings. Buckner made a move to the front with 700m left, then Williams soon took over. Hutchings again took the lead at the bell (12.26.7) and pushed hard up the back straight, with Ovett in position to strike.
With 120m to go, Ovett shifted gears and moved smoothly away from Hutchings and Buckner, who had no answer for Ovett’s finishing speed. Ovett waved to the crowd and it was a popular win as he was beloved all over Britain and it was particularly fitting, as he would take up residence in Scotland a few years later.
Ovett won in 13.24.11 from Buckner (13.25.87) and Hutchings (13.26.84). Williams was 4th and Walker 5th. Ovett was selected, along with Hutchings and Buckner, to run for Britain in the European Championships in Stuttgart, West Germany. He suffered from the oppressive heat on the day of the final and dropped out. Buckner ran the race of his life to win in the second fastest by a Brit (13.10.15) from Stefano Mei (ITA), who ran 13.11.57 and Hutchings picked up a well-deserved bronze (13.12.88). With his win in Edinburgh, Ovett became the first man to win major titles at 800m (Olympic), 1500m (European & World Cup) and 5000m (Commonwealth).
5. World 2 mile record, London, September 1978:
This was perhaps Ovett’s most unexpected world record performance. It came on the heels of his successes in Prague at the European Championships and he defeated one of the great Kenyan distance talents of the era, Henry Rono. Rono was a star of the US college circuit in 1976 and ’77 and in 1978, he became the world’s most versatile and dominant distance talent. He was a top cross country runner, but excelled on the track. During the 1978 season, he had broken 4 world records; the 3000m (7.32.1), the 3000m steeplechase (8.05.4) , the 5000m (13.08.4) and the 10,000m (27.22.47). He had destroyed his rivals in the Edmonton Commonwealth Games that year, easily winning the Steeple and the 5000m and by September, he had had a lot of races in his legs and could be vulnerable to someone with Ovett’s kick, given his lack of speed over the mile.
Ovett and Rono were joined by a quality field. There was steeplechase champion, Bronislaw Malinowski (POL), Eamonn Coghlan (IRL), plus local stars Nick Rose and Mike McLeod. Rono was, as expected, at or near the front of the pack early on, throwing the odd surge in, though letting the pace drop to about 64.5 seconds on the third lap. It was as they approached the end of the fourth lap that Malinowski went to the front and stepped on the gas a little. The mile split (4.09.2) meant that they were well outside the pace for Brendan Foster’s world mark (8.13.68), though Malinowski’s move made things interesting and the field strung out a little, though the big guns (Ovett, Rono, McLeod, Coghlan and Rose) were still very much in the race.
With a little over 1km to go, Rono made a decisive move. He accelerated hard and split the race wide open; only Ovett capable of going with him. Rono slowed a little with 600m left, allowing Malinowski to catch the lead pair, though it seemed he was catching his breath, preparing for a big surge to the finish. Ovett looked good, was flowing along and waiting for the right time to make his move. Rono kicked hard at the bell and was flat out up the back straight. Malinowski was gone and it was down to two.
Ovett waited until about 100m to go to move to the front and did so with characteristic ease, gaining 2 metres on Rono with 70m left and waving to the crowd. Ovett finished with a grin and he had taken Foster’s world record, finishing in 8.13.51. Rono was second in 8.14.66, which was a national record, and Malinowski was third in 8.18.43. Ovett’s record would last almost a decade before being beaten by just 0.06 in 1987 by the great Said Aouita (MAR).
6. World 1 mile record, Oslo July 1980:
The Bislett Games was a key meeting prior to the Moscow Olympics. Both Coe and Ovett would compete, though in different events. Coe ran the 1000m and Ovett the mile. Coe and Ovett studiously avoided each other over their careers, with the exception of major championships. They didn’t want the other to gain the psychological advantage and, over their careers, this was an occasional logistical and organisational headache for Coe, Ovett and track promoters, agents and event coordinators. The British selectors received plenty of criticism over the decision to decide the third British Olympic 1500m spot with this race. A 19 year-old Steve Cram was up against 20 year-old Scot Graham Williamson in what was a match race to decide who would go to Moscow.
Ovett watched on and saw Coe break Rick Wohlhuter’s 1000m record by half a second (2.13.40) and drag Willi Wulbeck (2.14.53) and John Walker (2.16.57) to new national records. This meant that Coe now held the world records for 800m, 1000m, 1500m and the 1 mile. Now, Ovett would attempt to upstage Coe an hour later.
With Dave Warren making the early pace, the 440y split was around 56.5 and the pack was already strung out, with the two youngsters Cram and Williamson behind Ovett, struggling to hang on. It was a 1.53.8 split at 880y and Ovett looked comfortable.Warren took Ovett to about 1000m and pulled out. Ovett maintained the tempo, pulling away from Cram. At the bell (2.51.1), the record was on and Ovett was winding it up. He stretched out and went hard into the last 200m and only looked to be doing it tough up the home straight. He drove through the line, looked up and a grin spread across his face as he realised he’d beaten the record. He’d run 3.48.8, beating Coe’s time by 0.15. Cram ran a 3.53.8, a substantial PB, and won selection for the Games. It was an ominous sign with the Olympics approaching from Ovett, who looked like he could’ve run considerably faster if he’d been pushed.
7. World 1500m record, Oslo July 1980:
This was a stacked race and was planned by Ovett and Wilson as a pre-Olympic hit-out, not necessarily a world record attempt. There was no Coe, though Ovett would have plenty of quality milers to worry about.
Some of Ovett’s chief rivals in this race were not able to compete at the Moscow Olympics because their respective countries were boycotting the Games. Reigning champion John Walker (NZL) was here, as was Thomas Wessinghage (FRG) and three very good Americans: Steves Scott and Lacey and Todd Harbour. Also in the field were Kenyan Wilson Waigwa and Scotsman Graham Williamson.
Chris Sly (GBR) took the field out hard in about 56-57 at which point Scott decided to take up the running and Ovett tracked the American and looked supremely confident. Scott went through 800m in about 1.54, with Ovett 2nd and Walker third. Scott pushed on. Coming through 1200m in about 2.51, Scott was clinging to a small lead, with Ovett and Walker breathing down his neck.
At 1300m, Ovett took off and his lead stretched to about 8 metres with about 50m to go. and was waving to the crowd. Behind him, Wessinghage had kicked past Walker and the two battled down the straight. Wessinghage just got ahead of Walker by about half a metre.
Ovett had, under the IAAF rules of the time, equalled Coe’s world record (3.32.1), which had been rounded up from 3.32.03. Ovett’s time was 3.32.09, which was also rounded up to the nearest tenth of a second, so though Coe’s time was slightly faster, both men shared the world record. Ovett appeared remarkably composed and comfortable while running such a fast time and this augured well for the upcoming Olympics. Wessinghage’s 3.33.16 was a national record and Walker was third in 3.33.31.
8. World 1500m record, Koblenz August 1980:
In Ovett, An Autobiography, Ovett recounts the details of this race and it amazed even Ovett that he managed a world record. He went to Germany in the weeks after Moscow to a relatively small meeting in the town on the banks of the Rhine, situated between Bonn and Frankfurt. After his Olympic campaign and other key races were done, his season was winding down and he was looking to catch up with friends like Thomas Wessinghage and he wasn’t expecting anything fast.
He had won the Golden Mile two days before, over a deep field at a packed Crystal Palace, his famous finishing burst coming in handy in the final 50m. He’d just edged out Steve Scott in 3.52.84 and also beat Walker, Coghlan, Wessinghage, Deleze, Cram and others at a packed Crystal Palace stadium.
Ovett lined up against some of Germany’s top athletes. As well as Wessinghage, there was Willi Wulbeck, emerging talent Harald Hudak. Omar Khalifa (SUD) and Dave Moorcroft were also competing.
Gary Cook (GBR) took the pace out at a decent clip (55.51 @ 400m), with Ovett sitting just behind Cook. Ovett followed Cook through 800m (1.53.00) and Cook kept going, with Ovett, Wessinghage, Hudak and Wulbeck in single file just behind him. Cook stepped off the track just before 2000m (2.22 or thereabouts) and into the home straight for the penultimate time, Wessinghage moved to the front, increasing the tempo. After a 1200m split of 2.50.69, Wessinghage continued his long run for home. Ovett looked good and Wulbeck appeared to be doing it tough. Ovett loomed up on Wessinghage with 150m to go, and Hudak went wide to pass Wulbeck.
Into the straight, Ovett accelerated and gained two metres on Wessinghage, who was now being challenged by Hudak. Ovett cruised over the line and couldn’t read the stadium scoreboard, which the thought read 3.37 something. He was shocked when he discovered he had broken his and Coe’s world record by 0.7. It was 3.31.36, rounded up to 3.31.4. Wessinghage set a new German record which lasted for almost 45 years, moving to second on the world all time list with 3.31.58 and Hudak ran the third fastest ever (3.31.96). Wulbeck, primarily an 800m specialist (and future world champion), ran a massive PB of 3.33.74.
It was the fourth world record for Ovett, who had enjoyed the season of a lifetime, with his Olympic gold and three world records.
9. World 1 Mile record, Koblenz, August 1981:
Ovett was back at one of his favourite tracks to attack Coe’s recent record set in Zurich that month (3.48.53). Coe was on a tear during the 1981 season. He had also smashed his own world records in the 800m and 1000m and had been virtually unbeatable, winning European Cup races and international match races like he was running against schoolboys.
Ovett was in the form of his career. He recently had run two very fast 1500m races and he’d won the Dream Mile in Oslo very comfortably in a sub 3.50 performance and he was just as dominant as Coe throughout the season, though the pair would not face each other during the season.
He had the World Cup 1500m in 10 days, which was the only major championship level race of the season and with a 3.31.57 in Budapest only a few days before, he was clearly in shape for something special.
James Robinson and Bob Benn would take on the early pace and though they were experienced pacemakers, Robinson had done an abysmal job with Seb Coe’s 1500m record attempt in Stockholm. Coe finished almost 0.6 outside the record after a 1.49.1 first 800m. Hopefully Robinson could do a better job here in Germany. Dave Moorcroft was here, as were two more Americans Tom Byers (also a notable pacemaker) and Craig Masback.
Benn took the field through 440y in 55.63, with Ovett sitting behind Robinson and Benn. Benn took the field through 880y in 1.53.59, before Robinson took over and the two soon separated from the pack. Ovett took over just before the three quarter mile point (2.50.62). Ovett poured it on around the turn and into the back straight.
Ovett tried to lift, but looked heavy-legged, with a long season of races in his legs. He pushed down the straight and managed to scrape inside Coe’s mark. He stopped the clock at 3.48.40, taking 0.13 off the record. Masback was second in 3.54.14. Ovett went on to win in the World Cup in Rome, yet after his spectacular successes over the year, he suffered a pretty horrific end to the season in an incident which almost ended his career.
10. World 1500m Record, September 1983:
This was the sixth and final world record for Ovett and it came near the end of his big comeback season from injury problems over the previous 18 months.
In December of 1981, Ovett suffered the biggest setback of his career. Out on a training run in Brighton, Ovett looked up at a sign on a church and ran into an iron railing on the fence outside the church. His right knee was badly injured and after a long recovery process, he took on the challenge of the 1982 season. He managed a few good races, including a British record for 2000m (4.57.71), yet was badly beaten in a super stacked 3000m at Crystal Palace, won by Dave Moorcroft in a new European record (7.32.79). The season came to an abrupt end when he tore a hamstring during a training session at the Withdean track at Brighton.
Ovett endured a long, arduous recovery period, but by early 1983 he was fit again. He had won some road races and won the Southern County Championships at 1500m and was building to a peak for August, for the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki.
There were signs that Ovett was nearly back to his best when he ran a 3.33.81 in Oslo. Ovett’s preparation was hampered by a mild recurrence of his hamstring problem at the AAA Championships at the Palace which forced him to decide against running the 800m/1500m double in Helsinki and to focus on the 1500m but he was good to go after some physio treatment of the hamstring and rest. In the World Championships, Ovett would be up against a few emerging contenders for the crown of the world’s best miler. Compatriot Steve Cram had been a 19 year old Olympic finalist and had shown tremendous promise in the early ’80s. By 1982, he had won European and Commonwealth 1500m titles, and now 22 years old, He was considered the heir apparent. Steve Scott (USA) had run the second fastest mile of all time the previous year and had a finish almost as deadly as Ovett’s. There was also 23-year-old Said Aouita (MAR) who had run the fastest time in the world prior to the World Championships. Coe unfortunately, was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis and would have to miss the Championships.
Cram eventually won the Helsinki 1500m final after a poor tactical race by Ovett, who was boxed with 450m to run and missed Said Aouita’s move to the front. Cram outkicked Steve Scott and Aouita and though Ovett ran the last lap in 51.6 to Cram’s 52.1, he was still about 5 metres behind at the finish and was bitterly disappointed with his run. Ovett was now motivated and fully fit. He had a few more big races to close out the season and atone for his performance in Finland.
Over the next few weeks he ran 1.45.25 for 2nd in the Ivo van Damme meeting in Brussels, he won a mile in Oslo in 3.50.49 and returned to his old stomping ground in Koblenz, where he ran what he felt was an easy 3.32.95 1500m. This race indicated that his next race in Rieti, Italy could yield something big.
Thanks to Sandro Giovannelli, the Rieti event director, Ovett had some quality opposition and some experienced pacemaking laid on by 800m specialist David Mack (USA), who was gaining a reputation as one of the best middle distance pacemakers around. Also in the field was Jose Abascal (ESP), Pierre Deleze (SUI), Omar Khalifa (SUD) and some top Italians.
Mack went to the front and took it out hard, with Ovett in tow. Mack went through 400m in 54.17 and throttled back a little and they settled into a solid tempo over the second lap. Mack passed 800m in 1.51.67, under 3.30 pace and Ovett was in the zone, locked into a rhythm behind Mack, gliding along with his typically relaxed, smooth-striding action.
The pace dropped a little and Mack dropped out just on 1000m (2.22.30), leaving Ovett on his own, pushing into the home straight. Ovett passed 1200m in 2.49.14 and was on course to break Sydney Maree’s world record of 3.31.24.
The video of the race shows just how windy it was on the day, with several flags in the grandstand at the 200m mark fluttering in the breeze. Ovett dug deep. He knew the record was on the cards as he ran all out, around the final bend and into the straight. Ovett hit the line in 3.30.77, breaking Maree’s record by 0.47. It was the closest anyone had come to the magic 3.30 barrier. He beat Pierre Deleze (3.34.55) by almost 4 seconds. He had proved the doubters wrong and was back at the top.
Ovett won a low-key 1000m in Germany two days later and then three days later, he was back in London for the big match race over 1 mile the newly-crowned World Champion Cram. This was the big drawcard for the Coca Cola Invitational and the crowd was packed in, waiting for the fireworks. In 1983, Cram had, in addition to winning the World title, become the 4th fastest ever over 1500m (3.31.66) and had also run the fastest 800m mark that year (1.43.61)
Rob Harrison went out at world record pace (a little over 55 for the first quarter) with only Deleze for company. Cram and Ovett sat back in the pack, not interested in following the pace. Ovett, it seemed, had his eye on Cram and was tracking him like a lion hunting a wildebeest in the Serengeti. The pacers eventually dropped back and the pace at the three quarter mile (2.58.84) had slowed to a crawl. Cram took off a little after the bell, gradually winding up the pace and though he was pushed hard by Ovett and needed a 53,5 final quarter to hold off Ovett’s late surge for an epic win in one of the greatest races ever held at Crystal Palace. Cram ran 3.52.56 to Ovett’s 3.52.71. It was a wonderful ending to the season and Ovett would go into the Olympic year brimming with renewed confidence, ready to defend his 800m title and attempt to win the Olympic 1500m gold.
Late Career:
Ovett had a disappointing Olympic campaign in 1984. He had come to Australia early in the new year to train for a few months and ended up running a few races, where he was beaten by Michael Hillardt in races in Sydney and Melbourne.Hillardt was pushed to a national record (3.34.20) in Sydney by Ovett and just edged Ovett again in the Nationals in Melbourne.He had some quality lead up races before going to the States, including a 3.34.50 win at the Bislett Games.
Going into the Games, Ovett was confident. He had a tough time in the 800m, drawing eventual winner Joaquim Cruz (BRA) in each of the four rounds. Ovett scraped into the final with one of his best times over 800m, but collapsed over the line and received medical attention. He had been experiencing mysterious pain and breathing difficulties, perhaps attributable to a recent bout of bronchitis. He recovered to run in the final, where he ended up in 8th place and was doing it tough the whole way.
He recovered for the 1500m, went through his heat and semi comfortably, and made the final. Going into the final lap he was 4th behind Coe and Cram and it looked like the three Brits Ovett, Cram and Coe – the world record holder, the World Champion and the reigning Olympic Champion respectively – would fight it out for the medals. Sadly, an exhausted Ovett stepped off the track and was taken to hospital though was released quickly, while Coe went on to defend his title in a major comeback from illness and Cram won the silver.
Ovett recovered and had a mixed 1985. His only big win was at the Westminster Mile in London, where he defeated Cram, who had been a dominant force on the track during 1985.
The following year, Ovett won the Commonwealth title and ran a few fast times. He still ran the 1500m, but was gradually moving to the 5000m and though he dropped out of the European Championships, he came back in 1987 and ran a creditable 10th in the World Championships.
He missed the 1988 Olympics and his career began to wind down. He moved to Scotland with wife Rachel and they set up a business for holiday makers in the Dumfries region of Scotland. He continued to run at a reasonably high level, though he competed sporadically. He had another match up with Coe in1989 at the AAA championships, where Coe won, despite almost tripping over a prostrate Steve Crabb at the bell. Ovett faded to 9th, though in a post-race interview, was visibly upset over the fact that he was offered money by British Athletics Promotions Officer Andy Norman – at one time a close friend of Ovett’s – to run in the Championships and Coe was offered nothing. It was a huge scandal involving one of the most influential and divisive figures in British athletics.
Ovett ran the odd international and domestic race between ’89 and 1991, when he bowed out in style at 35 with a trademark kick down the home straight to win a Cardiff 3000m race (8.07.28).
Post-career:
The Ovett’s continued to live in Scotland after Steve’s running career was over and they had four kids – Alexandra, Georgie, Freddy and Lois – and stayed there until selling up and moving in 1998. They eventually moved to Australia in 2001.
Ovett, just like his rivals Cram and Coe, stayed involved in athletics and he became one of the most sought after athletics commentators in the world, working with Canada’s CBC and the BBC . Ovett of course worked on the Commonwealth Games in his adopted homeland in 2006.
Sadly, he split from wife Rachel, though he has found romance with former Aussie distance star Carolyn Schuwalow, who, incidentally, was married to another Commonwealth 5000m champion, Andrew Lloyd.
Ovett’s kids are all successful in their own right, either as personal trainers, tennis players, cyclists and runners. Lois is an accomplished tennis player, Georgie is a personal training guru and son Freddie was a promising middle distance runner before moving into professional cycling, competing all over the world. He still runs and he has run a 2.37 marathon.
Legacy:
Ovett is revered in the distance running world as one of the all time greats and is respected for the man that he is as much as his athletic achievements.
Early in his career, he was cast as the villain in British athletics and was heavily criticised in the press for the races he chose and his perceived arrogance, yet his reputation amongst his peers is unblemished, he is considered to be the athlete’s athlete, someone who will run track, cross country and road and do it with a smile. He has never been known to melt down publicly or disrespect officials or athletes and is generous to a fault with his time, particularly with kids. He was involved in several charities and raised funds for many worthy causes in the UK, perhaps most notably the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which dealt with patients with severe spinal injuries. It is unfortunate that the people involved with the hospital have had to deal with the stigma associated with one of their chief fundraisers and advocates, Jimmy Savile.Ovett has also been involved with a cancer charity in Australia, and he helped organise a sponsored trek of the Kokoda trail.
It was because of his treatment in the press that he often refused to do interviews early in his career.He resented much of their criticism and it took some years before he began to open up to the media. Early on, in the Coe/Ovett rivalry, it was very much ‘black hat/white hat’ in the media coverage, with Ovett invariably cast as the villian and Coe the good guy. That changed over the years and Ovett became one of the most beloved and universally respected athletes in Britain.
No athlete at Ovett’s level achieves quite that level of success without plenty of assistance. Ovett has, over the years, expressed his gratitude for those who have helped him become who he is. His parents sacrificed quite a lot early in his career and Ovett has said it would not have been possible to get where he did without them. Harry was also a constant presence who helped give Ovett the knowledge, routine, sense of purpose, discipline and confidence to make it to the top.
Training partners Tony Simmons, Steve Binns and others were, Ovett acknowledges, a huge help, but the most important long-term training partner for Ovett was former clubmate and close friend Mat Paterson. Mat was there for the bulk of Ovett’s career and Ovett gave an emotional tribute to his friend at Mat’s funeral a few years ago,
Ovett, as mentioned, has done so much to give back. He has helped his younger clubmates, perhaps most notably Mark Rowland, who went on to win an Olympic medal. and he has become an accomplished coach in the US. Ovett was a hero and mentor figure for Olympic and World Championship medallists and world record breakers Peter Elliott and Steve Cram, encouraging the younger athletes on their journey to the top. Elliott and Cram have both spoken of how they were motivated by Ovett and Coe’s records and major championship successes. during their junior years.
What is undeniable is Ovett’s and Coe’s successes also helped motivate and set a very high bar for a generation of young British distance runners and the dynamic duo were integral to creating a positive and highly competitive environment in the nation’s distance running community.
One example of the depth of British distance running in the 80’s would be the 1988 Olympic trials 800m – Ovett’s Olympic gold medal-winning distance. Of the 8 finalists, one athlete had broken 1.43, four had run, or would go on to run sub 1.44 performances and there were six sub-1.45 runners in total. This was a race without Elliott, the World Championship silver medallist and Coe – the world record-holder, European Champion and Olympic silver medallist. In 1980, the only Brits who had broken 1.45 were Coe and Ovett.
Ovett is an icon and his performances at his signature events still stand up and still feature near the top of British all-time lists. We wish Steve – now surely an honorary Aussie – the very best for his 70th.
The author would like to acknowledge the following source material: BBC TV, Athletics Weekly, Runners’ World Magazine, World Athletics.org and Ovett, An Autobiography by Steve Ovett and John Rodda