those were the days....
Coe first ran against Ovett in a schools cross country race in 1972. Neither won, nor did they win in their first major encounter in the European Championships Prague in 1978 in an 800 metre race, where Ovett was second and Coe finished third behind the East German Olaf Beyer. The next year on two occasions in Oslo, Norway, Coe set his first world records in the 800-metre (1:42.33) and mile (3:48.95) races. Later that year, he set the world 1500 metre record (3:32.03) in Zurich, Switzerland.
The most famous races between Ovett and Coe were in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, where each won the other's speciality, Ovett the 800 metres, and Coe the 1500 metres (Coe came in second in the 800, 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. The image of Coe crossing the finish line arms outstretched, eyes rolling and mouth agape was much reproduced.
