Steve Cram
Encyclopedia
Stephen "Steve" Cram MBE
(born 14 October 1960, in Jarrow
, Tyneside
, England
) 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 19-day period in the summer of 1985. He was the first man to run 1500 metres under 3 minutes and 30 seconds. He won the 1500 metres gold medal
at the 1983 World Championships
, and the 1500 metres silver medal
at the 1984 Olympic Games
.
In 2008 Cram was appointed Chancellor
of the University of Sunderland
, replacing Lord Puttnam, and in 2009 elected as President of Jarrow & Hebburn Athletics Club.
Steve Cram is UK ambassador for Atos Origin
, the Worldwide IT Partner for the International Olympic Committee
, for the London 2012 Olympic Games
.
. The race had been marked as a run-off between Cram and Scottish
miler Graham Williamson
for the final place (a selection decision which was severely criticized by Ovett
in his 1984 autobiography). Cram, aged 19, reached the final of the 1500 metres at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games
, in which Coe and Steve Ovett famously vied for the gold medal. Cram finished well down the field, in eighth place, but healthier for the experience.
Capitalizing on his Olympic experience, Cram made his major breakthrough in 1982, a year in which Coe and Ovett were largely absent with injuries. Cram took 1500 metres gold at the Commonwealth Games
and also the 1982 European Championships
in Athens, where he raced to gold after breaking from the field with 600 metres to go following Williamson's fall.
Injury had disrupted Cram in the early part of the 1983 season, but he recovered in time for the 1983 World Championships
in Helsinki
and just prior to the games beat Coe (who was suffering from an undiagnosed virus at the time) in an 800 metres at Gateshead
. In a slow final, he strategically beat a large field following Saïd Aouita
's break with 500 metres to go. Ovett became trapped in the pack, ultimately finishing fourth, while Cram outkicked Steve Scott and Aouita in the last 200 metres. In a remark made in Cram's presence shortly afterwards which spoke to the depth of British milers, Ovett noted that Britain was the home of the Olympic champion, World champion and World Record holder in the 1500 metres - titles held by Coe, Cram and Ovett respectively.
At Crystal Palace later that summer, Cram won an epic mile race, in which he led Ovett by little more than a metre with 300 metres to go and maintained that lead right to the finishing line. In a 2006 interview, Cram described the race: "It was a cat-and-mouse affair - we both started off running at the back of the field. I beat him by little more than the thickness of a vest."
In 1984, Cram's season was severely hampered by injury, although he recovered sufficiently to win silver in the 1500 metres at the 1984 Olympic Games
in Los Angeles
, behind defending champion Coe.
He came back stronger in 1985, a year in which he was only beaten three times; by Coe at 800 m, McKean at 800 m and Ovett in a road Mile. In the 800 metres, not his best event, he beat the reigning 800 metre Olympic Champion, Joaquim Cruz
, in 1:42.88, the fastest time he was ever to run, off even splits of 51.2 & 51.7. He broke three world records (1500 metres, Mile, 2000 metres) within a 19-day span, and recorded a British All Comers Record over the 1000 metre, running 2:12.88 in windy conditions at Gateshead (the second fastest 1000 m in history at the time behind Coe's 2:12.18). He was the first man to run under 3:30.00 for the 1500 metres, just beating Saïd Aouita
in Nice (running 3:29.67 to Aouita's 3:29.71). His mile time of 3:46.32, recorded at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, stood for eight years and, , is still the European record
. This run was notable for the fact that this was an actual competitive race against Sebastian Coe with the first three laps being below schedule, although pretty even in pace distribution (57.2, 57.3, 58.7), followed by an exceptional last lap (440yds) of 53.2.
While the likes of Coe and Ovett had a devastating sprint finish over the last 100 metres, Cram tended to wind up the speed gradually over the last 300 metres of races, making him very difficult to catch. However, during the 1985 season he said (and indeed demonstrated) that he could win from any position and happily ran near the back of world class fields before unleashing his kick, often with a lap or so to go. This tactic, his elegant, high stepping action and his effortless acceleration made him one of the most exciting middle distance runners to watch.
Cram's good form continued into the 1986 season. At the 1986 Commonwealth Games
in Edinburgh, he won the 800 m, finishing 15 metres clear of Tom McKean
and Peter Elliott
in 1:43:22 - still the Commonwealth Games record. He followed this up with gold in the 1500 metres and was persuaded to run both events at the 1986 European Championships
in Stuttgart. He arrived at the European Championships "just over the edge" as he suggested in David Powell's biography of Coe, "Born to Run". Nevertheless, he won the bronze in the 800 m having been blocked down the back straight by Tom McKean who made his run at the same time as Cram and, though leading into the straight, lacked the zest he showed in the Commonwealth games and was unable to hold off the challenges of McKean and a superlative Coe. Although disappointed by his 800 m defeat Cram bounced back to beat Coe to the gold medal in the 1500 metres. It turned out to be not only Cram's last major medal, but the end of the golden era for British middle distance running.
In 1987, he was no longer the outstanding 1500 m athlete that he had been in previous years. Having previously been able to win races from any position and at any pace, he was now lacking confidence in his finishing speed, an area in which he had fallen behind some of his main rivals. Although he won the Dream Mile for the third year running, he was beaten by José Luis González in the European Cup
and although he made the final of the 1987 World Championships
in Rome, he finished eighth after leading into the final bend. He had said before the race that his only hope of victory was a fast race, in which he could run the finish out of his opponents, in particular Abdi Bile
, the eventual winner. Unhappily for Cram, the pace was slow, and he faded badly in the last 100 metres.
His 1988 season saw him return to better form and he beat Bile in the Oslo Dream Mile in 1988 - his fourth consecutive victory in that race. Having run impressively in the Olympic trials over 800 m and winning in 1:44.16, (opening up an eight metre gap over Tom McKean in a sprint down the home straight) he was touted as one of the favorites to win the gold medal over 1500 m at the Seoul Olympics in 1988
until a calf injury just before the games in a 1000 metre race hampered his progress. The injury affected his performance at the games and he was eliminated in the heats of the 800 m. He recovered sufficiently to reach the final of the 1500 m, but could only finish fourth in a close race surprisingly won by Peter Rono
.
Injury dogged him throughout his remaining years and although he continued to compete for some time, he never again looked likely to win a major championship. In the 1990 European Athletics Championships, he still finished fifth in 1,500 metres, but already in the 1991 World Athletics Championships, he was eliminated in the 1,500-metre semi-finals.
He retired from athletics in 1994 and remains the UK record holder over the mile, 1500 metres and 2000 metres.
and as a motivational speaker. He starred alongside UK Olympic Gold medalists Sally Gunnell
and Adam Eason in BBC's 2006 primetime TV series Run for Glory helping the runners and participants overcome psychological barriers to running the London Marathon
.
in Northumberland. He has two children, Josie and Marcus who have had some success in under age races.
in 1983 and was awarded the MBE
in 1986.
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 14 October 1960, in Jarrow
Jarrow
Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...
, Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
retired athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and 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...
, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners
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...
during the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", Cram set world records in 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...
, 2000 metres and the mile during a 19-day period in the summer of 1985. He was the first man to run 1500 metres under 3 minutes and 30 seconds. He won the 1500 metres gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1983 World Championships
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
, and the 1500 metres silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
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 2008 Cram was appointed Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Sunderland
University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland is located in Sunderland, north east England. The university has more than 17,500 students, including 7,000-plus international students from some 70 countries....
, replacing Lord Puttnam, and in 2009 elected as President of Jarrow & Hebburn Athletics Club.
Steve Cram is UK ambassador for Atos Origin
Atos Origin
Atos S.A. is an international information technology corporation which operates in 42 countries worldwide, with over 78,500 employees...
, the Worldwide IT Partner for 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...
, for the London 2012 Olympic Games
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...
.
Athletics career
In 1980, Cram won his place in the British Olympic team after finishing in 2nd place to Ovett in the mile at Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
. The race had been marked as a run-off between Cram and 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...
miler Graham Williamson
Graham Williamson
Graham Williamson is a Director of the Human Rights Campaign group ACT NOW.A former British humanitarian aid worker who worked in Sri Lanka founded ACT NOW with fellow aid workers after seeing human rights violations,mass killing in Sri Lanka against Tamils....
for the final place (a selection decision which was severely criticized by 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...
in his 1984 autobiography). Cram, aged 19, reached the final of the 1500 metres at the 1980 Moscow 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 which Coe and Steve Ovett famously vied for the gold medal. Cram finished well down the field, in eighth place, but healthier for the experience.
Capitalizing on his Olympic experience, Cram made his major breakthrough in 1982, a year in which Coe and Ovett were largely absent with injuries. Cram took 1500 metres gold at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
and also the 1982 European Championships
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, where he raced to gold after breaking from the field with 600 metres to go following Williamson's fall.
Injury had disrupted Cram in the early part of the 1983 season, but he recovered in time for the 1983 World Championships
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
and just prior to the games beat Coe (who was suffering from an undiagnosed virus at the time) in an 800 metres at Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
. In a slow final, he strategically beat a large field following Saïd Aouita
Said Aouita
Saïd Aouita is a former Moroccan athlete, winner of 5000 meters at the 1984 Summer Olympics, 5000 meters at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, 3000 meters at the 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships, and former world record holder at 1500m , 2000m , 3000m , and twice at 5000m [ and ]...
's break with 500 metres to go. Ovett became trapped in the pack, ultimately finishing fourth, while Cram outkicked Steve Scott and Aouita in the last 200 metres. In a remark made in Cram's presence shortly afterwards which spoke to the depth of British milers, Ovett noted that Britain was the home of the Olympic champion, World champion and World Record holder in the 1500 metres - titles held by Coe, Cram and Ovett respectively.
At Crystal Palace later that summer, Cram won an epic mile race, in which he led Ovett by little more than a metre with 300 metres to go and maintained that lead right to the finishing line. In a 2006 interview, Cram described the race: "It was a cat-and-mouse affair - we both started off running at the back of the field. I beat him by little more than the thickness of a vest."
In 1984, Cram's season was severely hampered by injury, although he recovered sufficiently to win silver in the 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
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, behind defending champion Coe.
He came back stronger in 1985, a year in which he was only beaten three times; by Coe at 800 m, McKean at 800 m and Ovett in a road Mile. In the 800 metres, not his best event, he beat the reigning 800 metre Olympic Champion, 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....
, in 1:42.88, the fastest time he was ever to run, off even splits of 51.2 & 51.7. He broke three world records (1500 metres, Mile, 2000 metres) within a 19-day span, and recorded a British All Comers Record over the 1000 metre, running 2:12.88 in windy conditions at Gateshead (the second fastest 1000 m in history at the time behind Coe's 2:12.18). He was the first man to run under 3:30.00 for the 1500 metres, just beating Saïd Aouita
Said Aouita
Saïd Aouita is a former Moroccan athlete, winner of 5000 meters at the 1984 Summer Olympics, 5000 meters at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, 3000 meters at the 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships, and former world record holder at 1500m , 2000m , 3000m , and twice at 5000m [ and ]...
in Nice (running 3:29.67 to Aouita's 3:29.71). His mile time of 3:46.32, recorded at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, stood for eight years and, , is still the European record
European records in athletics
European records in the sport of athletics are ratified by the European Athletic Association. Records are kept for all events contested at the Olympic Games and some others. Unofficial records for some other events are kept by track and field statisticians...
. This run was notable for the fact that this was an actual competitive race against Sebastian Coe with the first three laps being below schedule, although pretty even in pace distribution (57.2, 57.3, 58.7), followed by an exceptional last lap (440yds) of 53.2.
While the likes of Coe and Ovett had a devastating sprint finish over the last 100 metres, Cram tended to wind up the speed gradually over the last 300 metres of races, making him very difficult to catch. However, during the 1985 season he said (and indeed demonstrated) that he could win from any position and happily ran near the back of world class fields before unleashing his kick, often with a lap or so to go. This tactic, his elegant, high stepping action and his effortless acceleration made him one of the most exciting middle distance runners to watch.
Cram's good form continued into the 1986 season. At the 1986 Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
in Edinburgh, he won the 800 m, finishing 15 metres clear of 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 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...
in 1:43:22 - still the Commonwealth Games record. He followed this up with gold in the 1500 metres and was persuaded to run both events at the 1986 European Championships
1986 European Championships in Athletics
The 14th European Athletics Championships were held from 26 to 31 August 1986 at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart, a city in West Germany.-Track:1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1994-Field:1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1994-Track:...
in Stuttgart. He arrived at the European Championships "just over the edge" as he suggested in David Powell's biography of Coe, "Born to Run". Nevertheless, he won the bronze in the 800 m having been blocked down the back straight by Tom McKean who made his run at the same time as Cram and, though leading into the straight, lacked the zest he showed in the Commonwealth games and was unable to hold off the challenges of McKean and a superlative Coe. Although disappointed by his 800 m defeat Cram bounced back to beat Coe to the gold medal in the 1500 metres. It turned out to be not only Cram's last major medal, but the end of the golden era for British middle distance running.
In 1987, he was no longer the outstanding 1500 m athlete that he had been in previous years. Having previously been able to win races from any position and at any pace, he was now lacking confidence in his finishing speed, an area in which he had fallen behind some of his main rivals. Although he won the Dream Mile for the third year running, he was beaten by José Luis González in the European Cup
European Cup (athletics)
The European Cup is a now defunct athletics competition, replaced by the European Team Championships from 2009 onwards. The Europa Cup saw most of the major nations of Europe compete. Originally known as the Bruno Zauli Cup, it first took place in Stuttgart and Kassel , Germany in 1965...
and although he made the final of the 1987 World Championships
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
in Rome, he finished eighth after leading into the final bend. He had said before the race that his only hope of victory was a fast race, in which he could run the finish out of his opponents, in particular Abdi Bile
Abdi Bile
Abdi Bile is a former middle distance runner from Somalia. In 1987 he became world champion in the 1500 metres, the first Somali to do so.-Career:...
, the eventual winner. Unhappily for Cram, the pace was slow, and he faded badly in the last 100 metres.
His 1988 season saw him return to better form and he beat Bile in the Oslo Dream Mile in 1988 - his fourth consecutive victory in that race. Having run impressively in the Olympic trials over 800 m and winning in 1:44.16, (opening up an eight metre gap over Tom McKean in a sprint down the home straight) he was touted as one of the favorites to win the gold medal over 1500 m at the Seoul Olympics in 1988
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...
until a calf injury just before the games in a 1000 metre race hampered his progress. The injury affected his performance at the games and he was eliminated in the heats of the 800 m. He recovered sufficiently to reach the final of the 1500 m, but could only finish fourth in a close race surprisingly won by Peter Rono
Peter Rono
Peter Kipchumba Rono is a former Kenyan athlete, who won the 1,500 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics....
.
Injury dogged him throughout his remaining years and although he continued to compete for some time, he never again looked likely to win a major championship. In the 1990 European Athletics Championships, he still finished fifth in 1,500 metres, but already in the 1991 World Athletics Championships, he was eliminated in the 1,500-metre semi-finals.
He retired from athletics in 1994 and remains the UK record holder over the mile, 1500 metres and 2000 metres.
Television career
Cram now works as a television presenter and athletics commentator predominantly for BBC SportBBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
and as a motivational speaker. He starred alongside UK Olympic Gold medalists Sally Gunnell
Sally Gunnell
Sally Jane Janet Gunnell OBE is a former British Olympic champion in the 400 m hurdles...
and Adam Eason in BBC's 2006 primetime TV series Run for Glory helping the runners and participants overcome psychological barriers to running the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
.
Personal life
Cram was married to Karen for many years but they divorced after his brother died in a freak accident and he has lived with former athlete Allison CurbishleyAllison Curbishley
Allison Curbishley is a former British athlete from Teesside but who represented Scotland. She specialised in the 400m. A play scheme in the summer holiday when she was ten years old got Curbishley interested in sport and although athletics was the sport she eventually chose she also reached...
in Northumberland. He has two children, Josie and Marcus who have had some success in under age races.
Awards
Cram was voted BBC Sports Personality of the YearBBC 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...
in 1983 and was awarded the MBE
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 1986.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:42.88 | 1985 |
| 1000 m | 2:12.88 | 1985 |
| 1500 m | 3:29.67 | 1985 |
| Mile | 3:46.32 | 1985 |
| 2000 m | 4:51.39 | 1985 |
| 2 Miles | 8:14.93 | 1983 |
| 5000 m | 13:28.58 | 1989 |
| Marathon | 2:35 | 1999 |
External links
- Profile - Steve Cram Professional Sports Group
- Our Chancellor - Steve Cram MBE University of Sunderland