Sebastian Coe, Baron Coe
Encyclopedia
Sebastian Newbold Coe, Baron Coe, KBE
(born 29 September 1956), often known as Seb Coe, is an English
former athlete and politician
. As a middle distance runner
, Coe won four Olympic
medals, including the 1500 metres
gold medal at the Olympic Games
in 1980
and 1984
, and set eight outdoor and three indoor world records in middle distance track event
s (and also participated in a world record relay). His rivalries with fellow Britons Steve Ovett
and Steve Cram
dominated middle-distance racing for much of the 1980s.
Following his retirement from athletics he served as a Member of Parliament
for the Conservative Party
from 1992–97, and became a life peer
in 2000. He was the head of the London bid
to host the 2012 Summer Olympics
, and, after the International Olympic Committee
awarded the games to London, became the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
. In 2007, he was also elected a vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations
. On 25 August 2011, he was re-elected for another four year term.
, London
. His mother, Tina Angela Lal, died in Hammersmith and Fulham, London, in 2005, aged 75. She was half-Indian
, born to Punjabi
father Sardari Lal and English mother Vera Swan. His father, Peter Coe
(born Percy N. Coe in Kingston-upon-Thames), died on 9 August 2008, aged 88, while Coe was in Beijing.
Coe was brought up in Sheffield
attending Tapton
and Abbeydale Grange
schools. He joined athletics team Hallamshire Harriers at the age of 12, and quickly became a middle-distance specialist. He is probably better remembered as representing Loughborough University
and later Haringey
when not competing for his country.
He was coached by his father who designed workouts specifically for his son. Coe studied economics and social history at Loughborough University
and won his first major race in 1977—an 800-metre event at the European indoor championships in San Sebastián
, Spain. It was at Loughborough University that he met athletics coach George Gandy who had developed "revolutionary" conditioning exercise to improve Coe's running.
in 1972. Neither won, nor did either win in their first major encounter in the European Championships Prague
in 1978 in an 800 metre
race, where Ovett (breaking Coe's UK record with a run of 1:44.09) was second and Coe finished third behind the East German Olaf Beyer
. According to Pat Butcher, Coe's father and coach Peter Coe
had encouraged him to run as fast as he could from the start. The early pace was indeed exceptionally fast: Coe ran 200 metres in 24.3 seconds, 400 metres in 49.32 seconds and 600 metres in 1:16.2: then he slowed down and finished third in 1:44.76.
A few weeks later Coe was to reclaim the UK record, setting an all-comers' mark of 1:43.97 at Crystal Palace to rank him second in the world that year. In October 1978, Coe displayed impressive endurance for an 800m runner by winning a four-mile road-race in Ireland in 17:54, defeating Eamonn Coghlan (1983 World 5000m champion) and Mike McLeod (1984 Olympic 10000m silver medalist), and breaking Brendan Foster's course record of 18:05.
The next year, 1979, Coe set three world records in 41 days. He set his first world records in Oslo
, Norway in the 800-metre (1:42.33) and the mile (3:48.95) and later broke the world 1500 metre record (3:32.03) in Zurich, Switzerland. He easily won the 800m at the European Cup in Turin in August, covering the last 200m in 24.1 and anchored the British 4 x 400m relay team with the fastest split of the quartet, 45.5. He remained undefeated at all distances that year, was voted "athlete of the year" by Athletics Weekly
and Track and Field News and was ranked number one in the world at 800m and 1500m: no other athlete since has ranked number one at these distances in the same year.
In 1980 Coe broke Rick Wohlhuter
's world record for 1,000-metres with a time of 2:13.40 and held all four middle distance world records simultaneously, the 800m, 1000m, 1500m and the mile, for one hour until Ovett broke his mile record, another unique feat. In the 1980 Olympic Games
in Moscow, Ovett and Coe won each other's speciality; Ovett the 800 metres, and Coe the 1500 metres (Coe came in second in the 800 after running what he described as "the worst tactical race of my life", while Ovett took third in the 1500). It was Ovett's first defeat at either one mile or 1500 metres in three years and 45 races, and Coe covered the last 400 m in 52.2 and the last 100 m in 12.1 seconds, the fastest ever finish at this distance.
1981 started off in February with an indoor world record over 800 m at Cosford, time 1:46.0. His world record in the 800 metre race in Florence
on June 10: his 1:41.73 in the 800 metres remained unbeaten until August 1997. As of 2010, this still stands as the UK record and makes him the third fastest man ever. A month afterwards he set another record with 2:12.18 for 1000 m, which was to last 19 years and to this day has only been bettered once. Coe was more than 1.7 seconds (about 14 m in distance) faster than anyone on record at both distances. Between these two record breaking runs he won the Europa Cup 800 m semi-final, running the last 100 m in 11.3 (the fastest ever recorded in a major international race), and achieved a personal best of 3:31.95 in the 1500 metres, despite dreadful pace making in the initial stages. In August he won the gold medal at the European Cup final, before going on to better the standard for the mile twice; first with a 3:48.53 in Zürich
and then with a 3:47.33 in Brussels, either side of Ovett's world record in Koblenz (3:48.40). He ended a remarkable season with gold over 800m at the World Cup in Rome in September, and remained undefeated in both the 1500 metres/mile and the 800 metres for the entire season, as in 1979. Track & Field News
and Athletics Weekly magazines voted Coe Athlete of the Year, an honour he had also won in 1979.
Although he had a short season in 1982 due to injuries in June and July, he still managed to rank number one in the world in the 800 metres and participate in a world record 4 x 800 metres relay in which Coe, Peter Elliott
, Garry Cook
and Steve Cram's time of 7:03.89, was to remain the world record for 24 years. Coe's leg was the fastest of the day, a solo 1:44.01. However he unexpectedly won only silver in the 800 m in the 1982 European Championships in Athletics
in Athens. It transpired the next day by British team doctors, that he had been suffering from glandular fever. Coe decided to withdraw from the 1500 metres in those European Championships (Pat Butcher, The Perfect Distance).
1983 started with world indoor records in the 800 metres in Cosford, England (1:44.91, breaking his own 1981 1:46.0) and the 1,000 metres (2:18.58) in Oslo
, Norway, but Coe spent most of the year battling health problems including a prolonged bout with toxoplasmosis
. He missed the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Athletics
. The disease was severe and he spent several months in and out of hospital on strong medication.
Coe returned to competition in spring 1984 and was selected for 800 and 1500 metres at the 1984 Olympic Games
in Los Angeles, despite being narrowly beaten by Peter Elliott in the AAA Championships. In the 800 metres he took silver behind Joaquim Cruz
of Brazil, but in the 1500 metres he took gold with an Olympic record of 3:32.53. His last 800 m was run in 1:49.8, his last lap 53.2 and his last 100 m in 12.7. He remains the only person to win successive Olympic 1500 metre titles.
Coe planned to have a somewhat quiet season in 1985, due in part to the intensity of the previous year's efforts to get himself ready in time for the Olympics, as well as a planned move up to 5000m, which never materialised. He suffered a recurrence of a back problem which had plagued him on and off since 1980, causing him to miss several weeks of training mid season. Despite this he managed to set some fast times towards the end of the season, but was to lose his Mile world record to Cram, who beat him in Oslo.
In 1986 Coe won the gold medal over 800 m at the European Championships in Stuttgart, beating Tom McKean
and Cram. with a stunning last 200 m of 24.7. It was his only 800 m title at an international championship. He won the silver in the 1500 metres, behind Cram, after running a bad tactical race, and set a personal best over 1500 m with a 3:29.77 min performance in Rieti, Italy, becoming the fourth man in history to break 3:30 for the 1500 m. For the fourth year in his career ('79, '81, '82, '86), Coe ranked number one in the world in the 800 metres and was in the top two for 1500 metres for the 5th time.
He was injured in May 1987 after winning an 800m for his club, Haringey, and was out for the entire season.
The following year he wasn't selected for the British 1988 Olympic Games
team, when he failed to qualify from the heats of the 1500m at the Trials in Birmingham. He had shown good early season form, but after a spell of altitude training he picked up a chest infection. The Daily Mirror ran a campaign and the president of the International Olympic Committee
, Juan Antonio Samaranch
, unsuccessfully tried to have the rules changed in Coe's favour. It was said that the Indian team was willing to include him on account of his mother's parentage.
Coe had one more good season in 1989, when, at the age of 33 and past his absolute best, he still won the 1500 m AAA title, was ranked number 1 Britain over both 800 m and 1500 m, ran the second fastest 800 m of the year (1:43.38) and won the silver medal at the World Cup over 1500 m. He retired from competitive athletics in early 1990, after having to bow out at the Auckland Commonwealth Games with yet another chest infection. He ended his career with eight different seasons of sub 1:44 800 metre times.
recreates a race in which the runners attempt to round the perimeter of the Great Court
at Trinity College
, Cambridge in the time it takes the clock to double strike the hour at midday or midnight. Many have tried to run the 367 metres (401 yards) around the court in the 43.6 seconds that it takes to strike 12 o'clock. Known as the Great Court Run, students traditionally attempt to complete the circuit on the evening of the Matriculation Dinner. The only person recognized to have actually completed the run in time is Lord Burghley
in 1927. It was thought that Sebastian Coe had succeeded when he beat Steve Cram in a charity race in October 1988, in a time of 42.53 seconds. But a video of the race apparently shows Coe was 12 metres short of the finish line when the last chime sounded which is why Trinity College never officially accepted his time.
for Falmouth and Camborne in 1992, for the Conservative Party, but lost his seat in the 1997 general election
. He returned to politics for a short time as William Hague
's chief of staff, having taken a life peer
age in 2000. During this time he tried his hand at a marathon, running a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes.
When London announced its bid to hold the 2012 Olympics, Coe became an ambassador for the effort and a member of the board of the bid company. With the May 2004 resignation of chairman Barbara Cassani
, Coe became the chairman for the latter phase of the bid. As Coe was a well-known personality in Olympic sport, it was felt he was better suited to the political schmoozing needed to secure the IOC's backing. Coe's presentation at the critical IOC meeting in July 2005 was viewed by commentators as being particularly effective, and the bid won the IOC's blessing on 6 July.
Coe has often said that London 2012 is not only about five weeks of summer sport but about encouraging more people to take up sport at all levels of competition. Coe is the Patron of the British Dragon Boat Racing Association
(BDA
).
In September 2008 Coe controversially told reporters "Fuck 'em" when asked about the opposition to the creation of a footballing Team GB
from Scottish
and Welsh
supporters as reported in The London Paper
, 30 September 2008, page 5 "Coe: Yes to 2012 GB footy team - The Scots and Welsh? F*** 'em".
's new independent watchdog, FIFA's ethics commission. The commission will judge all cases alleging conflicts of interest and breaches of Fifa rules.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter
made the announcement in Zurich on 15 September 2006 and said: "It is perhaps a surprise but it has been very well received. We have found an outstanding personality in the world of sport, a great personality in the Olympic movement." His appointment makes him one of the most senior Englishmen to work for FIFA.
He stood down from this post to join the committee
bidding to bring the 2018 World Cup to England.
, in 1990, with whom he has two sons and two daughters. The marriage ended in divorce in 2002 after twelve years and Coe moved out of the family home.
In 2003, Coe began a relationship with Carole Annett, the commercial retail editor for House & Garden
magazine. In 2004, she left her husband after 15 years of marriage and children and moved in with Coe at his home in Tilford
, Surrey. The couple married in summer 2011.
He is a worldwide ambassador for Nike
and owns a string of health clubs with a membership of 20,000. Coe is a knowledgeable follower of a wide range of sports, including football (he is a season ticket holder at Chelsea Football Club) and boxing (he was a steward for the British Boxing Board of Control
). He is a multimillionaire and a member of the East India Club
, a private Gentlemen's Club
in London. He has supported London athletic events like the London 10K of Nike and the British 10K charity race.
On 12 February 2010, Coe was the 19th runner on the 106th day of the Vancouver Olympic Torch Relay. Coe's leg was along the Stanley Park
Seawall, and he exchanged a "torch kiss" with the previous runner, Arnold Schwarzenegger
, and the next runner, a 19 year old member of the Squamish
community.
He featured in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? (British TV series) and is descended from Caribbean sugar farmers and slave owners, and a Governor General of New York (Hyde House) and Edward Hyde of Norbury.
Coe was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
in 1982 and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in 1990.
He was created a life peer
in 2000 as Baron Coe, of Ranmore
in the County of Surrey.
In December 2005, Coe was given a Special award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year
awards ceremony.
He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in the 2006 New Year's Honours List for services to sport.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 29 September 1956), often known as Seb Coe, is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former athlete and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. As a middle distance runner
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
, Coe won four Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medals, including the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
gold medal at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1980
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
and 1984
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, and set eight outdoor and three indoor world records in middle distance track event
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
s (and also participated in a world record relay). His rivalries with fellow Britons Steve Ovett
Steve Ovett
Stephen Michael James "Steve" Ovett OBE , is a former middle distance runner from England. He was gold medalist in the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, U.S.S.R., and set world records for 1500 metres and the mile run...
and Steve Cram
Steve Cram
Stephen "Steve" Cram MBE is a British retired athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", Cram set world records in the 1500 metres, 2000 metres and the mile during a...
dominated middle-distance racing for much of the 1980s.
Following his retirement from athletics he served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
from 1992–97, and became a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 2000. He was the head of the London bid
London 2012 Olympic bid
London 2012 was the successful bid for the 2012 Summer Games, to be held in London with most events taking place in Stratford, Newham. The British Olympic Association had been working on the bid since 1997...
to host the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, and, after the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
awarded the games to London, became the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is a limited company, owned by the Government of the United Kingdom, that will oversee the planning and development of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. After the successful London 2012 Olympic bid, LOCOG was...
. In 2007, he was also elected a vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
. On 25 August 2011, he was re-elected for another four year term.
Background
Coe was born in ChiswickChiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His mother, Tina Angela Lal, died in Hammersmith and Fulham, London, in 2005, aged 75. She was half-Indian
Indian people
Indian people or Indisians constitute the Asian nation and pan-ethnic group native to India, which forms the south of Asia, containing 17.31% of the world's population. The Indian nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the rich and complex history of India...
, born to Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
father Sardari Lal and English mother Vera Swan. His father, Peter Coe
Peter Coe
Percy Newbold "Peter" Coe was the father and athletics coach to Sebastian Coe.-Early life:Coe was born Percy Newbold Coe in Kingston, Surrey, the eldest child of Violet and Percy Coe Sr...
(born Percy N. Coe in Kingston-upon-Thames), died on 9 August 2008, aged 88, while Coe was in Beijing.
Coe was brought up in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
attending Tapton
Tapton School
Tapton Secondary School, is a Comprehensive school located in Crosspool, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is a state school, sited next to another secondary, King Edward VII School, and near to Lydgate Junior School, Lydgate Infant School and Notre Dame High School. Tapton School has...
and Abbeydale Grange
Abbeydale Grange School
Abbeydale Grange School was a mixed comprehensive school set in a green site off Abbeydale Road, a short bus journey from Sheffield city centre. The school served both the local area and the wider multi-racial city community.- History :...
schools. He joined athletics team Hallamshire Harriers at the age of 12, and quickly became a middle-distance specialist. He is probably better remembered as representing Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
and later Haringey
Haringey
Haringey may refer to:*London Borough of Haringey - a local borough in north London, England*Harringay - a neighbourhood within the London Borough of Haringey...
when not competing for his country.
He was coached by his father who designed workouts specifically for his son. Coe studied economics and social history at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
and won his first major race in 1977—an 800-metre event at the European indoor championships in San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, Spain. It was at Loughborough University that he met athletics coach George Gandy who had developed "revolutionary" conditioning exercise to improve Coe's running.
Athletic career
He first ran against Ovett in a schools cross country raceCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
in 1972. Neither won, nor did either win in their first major encounter in the European Championships Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1978 in an 800 metre
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
race, where Ovett (breaking Coe's UK record with a run of 1:44.09) was second and Coe finished third behind the East German Olaf Beyer
Olaf Beyer
Olaf Beyer was an East German 800 metres runner who won the gold medal at the 1978 European Championships in Prague. In that race he beat the future world-record holder Sebastian Coe and the future Olympic Champion Steve Ovett both from the UK. Beyer's time of 1:43.84 made him temporarily the...
. According to Pat Butcher, Coe's father and coach Peter Coe
Peter Coe
Percy Newbold "Peter" Coe was the father and athletics coach to Sebastian Coe.-Early life:Coe was born Percy Newbold Coe in Kingston, Surrey, the eldest child of Violet and Percy Coe Sr...
had encouraged him to run as fast as he could from the start. The early pace was indeed exceptionally fast: Coe ran 200 metres in 24.3 seconds, 400 metres in 49.32 seconds and 600 metres in 1:16.2: then he slowed down and finished third in 1:44.76.
A few weeks later Coe was to reclaim the UK record, setting an all-comers' mark of 1:43.97 at Crystal Palace to rank him second in the world that year. In October 1978, Coe displayed impressive endurance for an 800m runner by winning a four-mile road-race in Ireland in 17:54, defeating Eamonn Coghlan (1983 World 5000m champion) and Mike McLeod (1984 Olympic 10000m silver medalist), and breaking Brendan Foster's course record of 18:05.
The next year, 1979, Coe set three world records in 41 days. He set his first world records in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway in the 800-metre (1:42.33) and the mile (3:48.95) and later broke the world 1500 metre record (3:32.03) in Zurich, Switzerland. He easily won the 800m at the European Cup in Turin in August, covering the last 200m in 24.1 and anchored the British 4 x 400m relay team with the fastest split of the quartet, 45.5. He remained undefeated at all distances that year, was voted "athlete of the year" by Athletics Weekly
Athletics Weekly
Athletics Weekly is the world's only weekly athletics magazine.It is published in the United Kingdom by Athletics Weekly Limited and covers news, results, fixtures, coaching and product advice for all aspects of athletics, including track and field, cross-country, road racing and race walking.-...
and Track and Field News and was ranked number one in the world at 800m and 1500m: no other athlete since has ranked number one at these distances in the same year.
In 1980 Coe broke Rick Wohlhuter
Rick Wohlhuter
Rick Wohlhuter is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 800 meters.He graduated from Notre Dame and qualified for the 1972 Olympic Games, held in Munich, Germany. He also competed for the United States in the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada in the 800 and 1500 meters...
's world record for 1,000-metres with a time of 2:13.40 and held all four middle distance world records simultaneously, the 800m, 1000m, 1500m and the mile, for one hour until Ovett broke his mile record, another unique feat. In the 1980 Olympic Games
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow, Ovett and Coe won each other's speciality; Ovett the 800 metres, and Coe the 1500 metres (Coe came in second in the 800 after running what he described as "the worst tactical race of my life", while Ovett took third in the 1500). It was Ovett's first defeat at either one mile or 1500 metres in three years and 45 races, and Coe covered the last 400 m in 52.2 and the last 100 m in 12.1 seconds, the fastest ever finish at this distance.
1981 started off in February with an indoor world record over 800 m at Cosford, time 1:46.0. His world record in the 800 metre race in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
on June 10: his 1:41.73 in the 800 metres remained unbeaten until August 1997. As of 2010, this still stands as the UK record and makes him the third fastest man ever. A month afterwards he set another record with 2:12.18 for 1000 m, which was to last 19 years and to this day has only been bettered once. Coe was more than 1.7 seconds (about 14 m in distance) faster than anyone on record at both distances. Between these two record breaking runs he won the Europa Cup 800 m semi-final, running the last 100 m in 11.3 (the fastest ever recorded in a major international race), and achieved a personal best of 3:31.95 in the 1500 metres, despite dreadful pace making in the initial stages. In August he won the gold medal at the European Cup final, before going on to better the standard for the mile twice; first with a 3:48.53 in Zürich
Letzigrund
In January 2005, UEFA approved plans to rebuild the stadium for use as a EURO 2008 venue. It hosted 3 matches in the 2008 European Football Championship....
and then with a 3:47.33 in Brussels, either side of Ovett's world record in Koblenz (3:48.40). He ended a remarkable season with gold over 800m at the World Cup in Rome in September, and remained undefeated in both the 1500 metres/mile and the 800 metres for the entire season, as in 1979. Track & Field News
Track & Field News
Track & Field News is a magazine founded in 1948 by brothers Bert Nelson & Cordner Nelson, focused on the world of track and field.The magazine provides coverage of athletics in the U.S.A. from the high school to national level as well as covering the sport on an international bases. The magazine...
and Athletics Weekly magazines voted Coe Athlete of the Year, an honour he had also won in 1979.
Although he had a short season in 1982 due to injuries in June and July, he still managed to rank number one in the world in the 800 metres and participate in a world record 4 x 800 metres relay in which Coe, Peter Elliott
Peter Elliott (athlete)
Peter Elliott is a former middle-distance runner from the United Kingdom. During his career, he won the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 1988 Olympic Games, and the silver medal in the 800 metres at the 1987 World...
, Garry Cook
Garry Cook
Garry Cook is a former British athlete, who competed mainly in the 800 metres with a best time of 1:44.55.He competed for Great Britain in the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, United States in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the Silver medal with his team mates Kriss Akabusi, Todd...
and Steve Cram's time of 7:03.89, was to remain the world record for 24 years. Coe's leg was the fastest of the day, a solo 1:44.01. However he unexpectedly won only silver in the 800 m in the 1982 European Championships in Athletics
1982 European Championships in Athletics
The 13th European Athletics Championships were held from 6 September to 12 September 1982 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.-Track:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |1990 |-Field:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |1990 |-Track:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |...
in Athens. It transpired the next day by British team doctors, that he had been suffering from glandular fever. Coe decided to withdraw from the 1500 metres in those European Championships (Pat Butcher, The Perfect Distance).
1983 started with world indoor records in the 800 metres in Cosford, England (1:44.91, breaking his own 1981 1:46.0) and the 1,000 metres (2:18.58) in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway, but Coe spent most of the year battling health problems including a prolonged bout with toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite infects most genera of warm-blooded animals, including humans, but the primary host is the felid family. Animals are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of feces of a cat that has itself...
. He missed the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
. The disease was severe and he spent several months in and out of hospital on strong medication.
Coe returned to competition in spring 1984 and was selected for 800 and 1500 metres at the 1984 Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles, despite being narrowly beaten by Peter Elliott in the AAA Championships. In the 800 metres he took silver behind Joaquim Cruz
Joaquim Cruz
Joaquim Carvalho Cruz is a former Brazilian athlete, winner of the 800 m at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He is one of only four men to run the 800 m in less than 1:42....
of Brazil, but in the 1500 metres he took gold with an Olympic record of 3:32.53. His last 800 m was run in 1:49.8, his last lap 53.2 and his last 100 m in 12.7. He remains the only person to win successive Olympic 1500 metre titles.
Coe planned to have a somewhat quiet season in 1985, due in part to the intensity of the previous year's efforts to get himself ready in time for the Olympics, as well as a planned move up to 5000m, which never materialised. He suffered a recurrence of a back problem which had plagued him on and off since 1980, causing him to miss several weeks of training mid season. Despite this he managed to set some fast times towards the end of the season, but was to lose his Mile world record to Cram, who beat him in Oslo.
In 1986 Coe won the gold medal over 800 m at the European Championships in Stuttgart, beating Tom McKean
Tom McKean
Thomas McKean is a former Scottish middle distance runner who won the European Championships 800m gold medal at Split in 1990....
and Cram. with a stunning last 200 m of 24.7. It was his only 800 m title at an international championship. He won the silver in the 1500 metres, behind Cram, after running a bad tactical race, and set a personal best over 1500 m with a 3:29.77 min performance in Rieti, Italy, becoming the fourth man in history to break 3:30 for the 1500 m. For the fourth year in his career ('79, '81, '82, '86), Coe ranked number one in the world in the 800 metres and was in the top two for 1500 metres for the 5th time.
He was injured in May 1987 after winning an 800m for his club, Haringey, and was out for the entire season.
The following year he wasn't selected for the British 1988 Olympic Games
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
team, when he failed to qualify from the heats of the 1500m at the Trials in Birmingham. He had shown good early season form, but after a spell of altitude training he picked up a chest infection. The Daily Mirror ran a campaign and the president of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, Juan Antonio Samaranch
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Don Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch, Grandee of Spain , known in Catalan as Joan Antoni Samaranch i Torelló , was a Catalan Spanish sports administrator who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001...
, unsuccessfully tried to have the rules changed in Coe's favour. It was said that the Indian team was willing to include him on account of his mother's parentage.
Coe had one more good season in 1989, when, at the age of 33 and past his absolute best, he still won the 1500 m AAA title, was ranked number 1 Britain over both 800 m and 1500 m, ran the second fastest 800 m of the year (1:43.38) and won the silver medal at the World Cup over 1500 m. He retired from competitive athletics in early 1990, after having to bow out at the Auckland Commonwealth Games with yet another chest infection. He ended his career with eight different seasons of sub 1:44 800 metre times.
The Trinity College Challenge
One scene in the 1981 film Chariots of FireChariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
recreates a race in which the runners attempt to round the perimeter of the Great Court
Trinity Great Court
Great Court is the main court of Trinity College, Cambridge, and reputed to be the largest enclosed court in Europe.The court was completed by Thomas Nevile, master of the college, in the early years of the 17th century, when he rearranged the existing buildings to form a single...
at Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Cambridge in the time it takes the clock to double strike the hour at midday or midnight. Many have tried to run the 367 metres (401 yards) around the court in the 43.6 seconds that it takes to strike 12 o'clock. Known as the Great Court Run, students traditionally attempt to complete the circuit on the evening of the Matriculation Dinner. The only person recognized to have actually completed the run in time is Lord Burghley
David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter
David George Brownlow Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter KCMG , styled Lord Burghley before 1956 and also known as David Burghley, was an English athlete, sports official and Conservative Party politician...
in 1927. It was thought that Sebastian Coe had succeeded when he beat Steve Cram in a charity race in October 1988, in a time of 42.53 seconds. But a video of the race apparently shows Coe was 12 metres short of the finish line when the last chime sounded which is why Trinity College never officially accepted his time.
Later career
Coe became Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Falmouth and Camborne in 1992, for the Conservative Party, but lost his seat in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. He returned to politics for a short time as William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
's chief of staff, having taken a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
age in 2000. During this time he tried his hand at a marathon, running a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes.
When London announced its bid to hold the 2012 Olympics, Coe became an ambassador for the effort and a member of the board of the bid company. With the May 2004 resignation of chairman Barbara Cassani
Barbara Cassani
Barbara Ann Cassani, CBE, is an American businesswoman. She was the founder under British Airways of budget airline Go Fly and was the first leader of London's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics.-Personal life:...
, Coe became the chairman for the latter phase of the bid. As Coe was a well-known personality in Olympic sport, it was felt he was better suited to the political schmoozing needed to secure the IOC's backing. Coe's presentation at the critical IOC meeting in July 2005 was viewed by commentators as being particularly effective, and the bid won the IOC's blessing on 6 July.
Coe has often said that London 2012 is not only about five weeks of summer sport but about encouraging more people to take up sport at all levels of competition. Coe is the Patron of the British Dragon Boat Racing Association
British Dragon Boat Racing Association
The British Dragon Boat Racing Association is the UK governing body for dragon boat racing as a sport and recreation, recognised by the UK Sports Council.The BDA controls the sport through its Executive Committee and Council....
(BDA
BDA
BDA may refer to:*British Dietetic Association – a professional association and trade union for dieticians in the United Kingdom*Bermuda International Airport - now called L.F...
).
In September 2008 Coe controversially told reporters "Fuck 'em" when asked about the opposition to the creation of a footballing Team GB
United Kingdom national football team
No United Kingdom national football team currently exists, as there are separate teams representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in football. These national teams compete in the World Cup and European Championships and other internationals. A UK team has played in friendly...
from Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
supporters as reported in The London Paper
Thelondonpaper
The London Paper was a free daily newspaper, published by NI Free Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International...
, 30 September 2008, page 5 "Coe: Yes to 2012 GB footy team - The Scots and Welsh? F*** 'em".
FIFA
Coe was appointed the first chairman of FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
's new independent watchdog, FIFA's ethics commission. The commission will judge all cases alleging conflicts of interest and breaches of Fifa rules.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter
Sepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
made the announcement in Zurich on 15 September 2006 and said: "It is perhaps a surprise but it has been very well received. We have found an outstanding personality in the world of sport, a great personality in the Olympic movement." His appointment makes him one of the most senior Englishmen to work for FIFA.
He stood down from this post to join the committee
English 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bid
England 2018 was the Football Association's unsuccessful bid for the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. FIFA invited bidding countries to bid for either the 2018 or the 2022 finals, or both...
bidding to bring the 2018 World Cup to England.
Personal life
Coe married Nicky McIrvine, a former Badminton three-day-event champion, in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, in 1990, with whom he has two sons and two daughters. The marriage ended in divorce in 2002 after twelve years and Coe moved out of the family home.
In 2003, Coe began a relationship with Carole Annett, the commercial retail editor for House & Garden
House & Garden (magazine)
House & Garden was an American shelter magazine published by Condé Nast Publications that focused on interior design, entertaining, and gardening....
magazine. In 2004, she left her husband after 15 years of marriage and children and moved in with Coe at his home in Tilford
Tilford
Tilford is a small village about two miles south of Farnham in Surrey, England. It lies within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty- History :The name "Tilford" is probably derived from "Tila's ford" or "Tilla's ford"....
, Surrey. The couple married in summer 2011.
He is a worldwide ambassador for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and owns a string of health clubs with a membership of 20,000. Coe is a knowledgeable follower of a wide range of sports, including football (he is a season ticket holder at Chelsea Football Club) and boxing (he was a steward for the British Boxing Board of Control
British Boxing Board of Control
The British Boxing Board of Control is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff.- Councils :...
). He is a multimillionaire and a member of the East India Club
East India Club
The East India, Devonshire, Sports and Public Schools' Club, usually known as the East India Club, is a gentlemen's club founded in 1849 and situated at 16 St. James's Square in London...
, a private Gentlemen's Club
Gentlemen's club
A gentlemen's club is a members-only private club of a type originally set up by and for British upper class men in the eighteenth century, and popularised by English upper-middle class men and women in the late nineteenth century. Today, some are more open about the gender and social status of...
in London. He has supported London athletic events like the London 10K of Nike and the British 10K charity race.
On 12 February 2010, Coe was the 19th runner on the 106th day of the Vancouver Olympic Torch Relay. Coe's leg was along the Stanley Park
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
Seawall, and he exchanged a "torch kiss" with the previous runner, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, and the next runner, a 19 year old member of the Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
community.
He featured in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? (British TV series) and is descended from Caribbean sugar farmers and slave owners, and a Governor General of New York (Hyde House) and Edward Hyde of Norbury.
Awards
Coe was awarded with the first Prince of Asturias Award in sports category in 1987.Coe was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1982 and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1990.
He was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 2000 as Baron Coe, of Ranmore
Ranmore Common
Ranmore Common is a village and an area of wooded common land on the North Downs, to the northwest of Dorking in the English county of Surrey. It is located within the civil parish of Wotton and is also within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
in the County of Surrey.
In December 2005, Coe was given a Special award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year
BBC Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
awards ceremony.
He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the 2006 New Year's Honours List for services to sport.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 400 m | 46.87 | 1979 & 45.5 relay leg (1979) |
| 800 m | 1:41.73 | 1981 |
| 1000 m | 2:12.18 | 1981 |
| 1500 m | 3:29.77 | 1986 |
| Mile | 3:47.33 | 1981 |
| 2000 m | 4:58.84 | 1982 |
| 3000 m | 7:54.32 | 1986 |
| 5000 m | 14:06.2 | 1980 |
Media appearances
- Coe was featured in the Brass EyeBrass EyeBrass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A series of six aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001....
spoof documentary on paedophilia. - He was a model for menswear retailer Horne Bros.
- Appeared as himself in the episode 'Not a Good Day' from the 4th series (season) of the British sitcom "The Brittas EmpireThe Brittas EmpireThe Brittas Empire is a British sitcom created and originally written by Richard Fegen and Andrew Norriss. Chris Barrie plays Gordon Brittas, the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre....
"
Styles and honours
- Mr Sebastian Coe MBE (1982–1990)
- Mr Sebastian Coe OBE (1990–1992)
- Mr Sebastian Coe OBE MP (1992–1997)
- Mr Sebastian Coe OBE (1997–2000)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Coe OBE (2000–2006)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Coe KBE (2006–)
External links
- BBC Panorama: Fifa and Coe
- Sebastian Coe's foreword to 'Running the Race', biography of Olympic champion Eric Liddell ISBN 9780852346655
- Sebastian Coe's entries on the official blog of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
- Sebastian Coe Profile: Made In Sheffield
- Guardian profile of Sebastian Coe
- Article by Sebastian Coe about his amazing rise to fame in 1979, The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, 11 August 2009, Accessed 11 August 2009. - Sebastian Coe has revamped London's bid for the 2012 Olympics
- Sebastian Coe promises Olympics to remember
- Sebastian Coe greatest race: the 2012 Olympics
- Why London won the games: The Sebastian Coe factor
- Coe Pays Tribute To Lord Stratford
- Students interview Sebastian Coe
- Sebastian Coe's Biography
- England Athletics Hall of Fame citation