Word: coe
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Dates: during 1980-1980
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...highest came in the long-awaited confrontations between Britain's middle-distance marvels, Sebastian Coe, 23, and Steve Ovett, 24. When they first squared off in the 800 meters at the end of the opening week, Coe let his countryman build an insurmountable lead, then misjudged his kick. Said he: "I blew it in the backstretch." He was determined not to make the same mistake in last Friday's 1,500. The first two laps were leisurely, with Coe and Ovett a few yards off the lead in third and fourth places. Then East Germany's Jurgen...
After crossing the finish line, Coe knelt and covered his face. Then, quite against Olympic rules, he took a victory lap. His rival gave him a hug at the end, and Coe was like a child, bouncing on his toes and grinning. During the awards ceremonies, the British fans ignored the Olympic hymn that was being played. Instead, they belted out a chorus of God Save the Queen, with Rule Britannia as an encore...
Britannia did not exactly rule the Olympics, but she did score impressively in important track events. In addition to the gold earned by Coe and Ovett, Britain's Allan Wells won the 100-meter dash and Daley Thompson took the decathlon. With 36 nations heeding President Carter's call for a boycott over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, there was little else for the West to cheer about. Pietro Mennea, a flamboyant Italian, finished first in the 200-meter run, and Ethiopian Miruts Yifter, listed as 35 but rumored to be in his 40s, captured...
...Soviets will undoubtedly point to the 35 world records set, the numerous medals they piled up, and the several confrontations which gripped even dispassionate observers--like the duel between Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. Then again, events such as equestrian did not even resemble competitions of Olympian stature...
Ovett, a onetime art student from the seaside resort of Brighton, trains obsessively, running as much as 160 miles a week, compared with Coe's 50 to 70. Before the Olympics, Ovett downplayed the 800-meter contest. Said he: "I'm in the 800 because I'm in Moscow and I do want to win it. But the race is over too quickly for me." Even so, the cocky, sometimes surly mile record holder gave himself a 50% chance of winning. What is worse, at least from Coe's standpoint, is that he has upped...