Picture of the day - April 23
Sebastian Coe was warming up nicely for the 1980 Moscow Olympics when he cruised to 3,000 metres at Crystal Palace in April.
Coe had blazed a trail in 1979, setting three world records in 41 days – over 800 metres and the mile in Oslo and over 1500 metres in Zurich – and was ranked number one in the world at 800 metres and 1500 metres.
Coe entered the Olympic year as a triple world record holder and added a fourth when he broke Rick Wohlhuter’s 1,000 metres record.
The Moscow Games were boycotted by 66 nations, led by the USA, but 23-year-old Coe’s rivalry with Great Britain team-mate Steve Ovett ensured the 800 metres and 1500 metres were eagerly anticipated.
In the end Coe and Ovett won each other’s specialist race. Ovett triumphed in the 800 metres, Coe had to settle for silver after getting boxed in and running what he described as “the worst tactical race o0f my life”.
But Coe was not to be denied Moscow gold and, in Ovett’s favoured 1500 metres, the 23-year-old stormed to gold, covering the final 100 metres in 12.1 seconds, with Ovett taking the bronze.
Triple world record holder Sebastian Coe pictured after cruising to 3,000 metres victory at Crystal Palace in April, representing Loughborough Colleges.
