Steven Ovett OBE, Olympic Gold medalist over 800m,
is one of the greatest British athletes ever, heralding
from the golden era of British athletics. His on the
track rivalry with Sebastian Coe, is legendary and
resulted in some of the greatest middle distance races
of all time – the like of which have never been
repeated.
The Brighton born, Ovett gained some Olympic experience in 1976 when he ran in the
final of the 800 m and placed fifth. At the European Championships in 1978, he won
gold in 1500 m and silver in 800 m.
But it was at the Moscow Games of 1980 that the media furore took him to new heights
of awareness - he as the undoubted favourite to take the 1500m title. Earlier that
month, he had established a new mile world record of 3:48.8 and two weeks later
equaled Sebastian Coe's world record in 1500 m of 3:32.1. He had been unbeaten over
1500m and mile for three years. He used the 800m as his test for the 1500m, but
shocked the world when he moved from the halfway mark, and pushed his way to
second place, and with just seventy metres to go shot into the lead and held off Coe ‘the
favourite’ to win by three metres. Six days later his assured 1500m gold was taken by
Coe who was in front of Ovett throughout the race, Ovett took the bronze.
After the Olympics Ovett lowered the 1500 m world record time to 3:31.36. In 1983 he
lowered it furthermore to 3:30.77.
Ovett attempted to defend his 800 m title in 1984 Summer Olympics. Battling with
bronchitis, he barely qualified for the final and then finished eighth, after which he
collapsed and spent two nights in a hospital. He returned to compete in the 1500 m.
Running in thi place at the beginning of the last lap of the final; Ovett collapsed with
chest pains and was taken away on a stretcher. In 1986 he won 5000 m in the
Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh. He failed to make the 1988 Olympic team and
decided to retire soon after that.
Athletic career:
World Cup 1500m Gold 1977
European Championship 1500m Gold 1978
Olympic Games 800m Gold 1980
Commonwealth Games 5000m Gold 1986
Six worlds records at distances of one mile and two
miles.
Awarded the MBE in 1982 & OBE in 2000 both for
services to sport.
BBC Sports personality of the year 1978
After retiring Steve has been a consultant for ten years
with the I.A.A.F. (International Amateur Athletic Federation) as well as working for ISL
(International Sport and Leisure), the group then in charge of worldwide marketing for
major sports including athletics.
Steve has also worked for broadcast television working for ten years as a commentator
with ITV (Independent Television network) on sport for domestic coverage within the
U.K, for CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp.) during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 2003
World Championships in Paris, the 2004 Athens Olympics, and CH9 (Australia) and
BBC at 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Steve is one of Britain's greatest ever track legends from the late seventies and early eighties. He won the 800m Olympic Gold in 1980 and held 6 World Records at one and two miles. He is a highly motivational and inspirational speaker.