Steve Ovett

Steve Ovett (actually: Stephen Michael Ovett John, born October 9, 1955 in Brighton ) is a former British middle and long distance runners, the Olympic champion in the 800 -meter run.

The European Athletics Championships 1974 in Rome he won silver over 800 meters. Two years later he became the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, he was fifth on 800 m and 1500 m came on to the semifinals. At the European Championships 1978 in Prague, he won silver and gold over 800 m above 1500 m. In the same year he became the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Sportsman of the Year in the UK, was elected.

In the following years, he was the great rival of his compatriot Sebastian Coe. Although Coe and Ovett were the dominant middle distance runners of her time, she met 1972-1989 only seven races, five of them in international championships each other. In Grand Prix, they went out of the way and confined themselves to accept the world records and Weltjahresbestzeiten each other in remote duels.

At the Olympic Games in 1980 Ovett won the gold medal in the 800 m in front of the favorite Coe, during this the gold medal at Ovetts special route, the 1,500 m fetched.

Between 1980 and 1983, Ovett five world records over 1500 m and mile run on. At the World Athletics Championships 1983 in Helsinki he finished fourth over 1500 meters.

At the 1984 Olympic Games took Ovett despite severe, triggered by the smog in Los Angeles asthmatic complaints eighth place on 800 m. Over 1500 m, although he stepped on to the finals, but had to quit the race because of breathing difficulties.

At the World Athletics Championships in 1987, he started in the 5000m and finished tenth. Then he let his athletic career fade away slowly.

Today Ovett lives with his family in Australia and works as athletics commentator of the Canadian television station CBC. His brother Nick Ovett started at two Olympic Games in luge.

Personal Best

  • 800 m: 1:44,09 min, August 31, 1978 Prague
  • 1000 m: 2:15,91 min, 6th September 1979 Koblenz
  • 1500 m: 3:30,77 min, 4th September 1983 Rieti
  • 1 miles: 3:48,40 min, August 26, 1981 Koblenz
  • 2000 m: 4:57,71 min, July 7, 1982, Oslo
  • 3000 m: 7:41,3 min, September 23, 1977 Wattenscheid
  • 5000 m: 13:20,06 min, 30 June 1986 Belfast
  • 10 - km road race: 28:16 min, December 4, 1983, London
Long-distance running 1974 European Athletics Championships 1978 European Athletics Championships 1983 World Championships in Athletics 1987 World Championships in Athletics 5000 metres Middle-distance running#1000 m 3000 metres Edwin Flack Alfred Tysoe Paul Pilgrim Ted Meredith Albert Hill (athlete) Douglas Lowe (athlete) John Woodruff Peter Snell Ralph Doubell Dave Wottle Alberto Juantorena Nils Schumann Wilfred Bungei David Rudisha Sydney Wooderson Lennart Strand Roger Bannister Brian Hewson Michel Jazy John Whetton Franco Arese Klaus-Peter Justus Steve Cram Jens-Peter Herold Arturo Casado Henrik Ingebrigtsen
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