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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 events (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 August 25, 2011, he was re-elected for another four year term.
Background
Coe was born in
Chiswick,
London. His mother, Tina Angela Coe, died in
Hammersmith and Fulham, London, in 2005, aged 75. She was half-
Indian, born to
Punjabi father Sardari Lal and English mother Vera. 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.
Athletic career
He first ran against Ovett in a schools
cross country race 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 got 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.
The Trinity College Challenge
One scene in the 1981 film ''
Chariots of Fire'' 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.
Later career
Coe became
Member of Parliament 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 peerage 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".
FIFA
Coe was appointed the first chairman of
FIFA'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.
Personal life
Coe married Nicky McIrvine, a former Badminton three-day-event champion, in
Surrey, 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 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.
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 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.
Personal bests
!Distance| | Mark |
Date
|
''400 m'' |
46.87 |
''800 m'' |
1:41.73 |
''1000 m'' |
2:12.18 |
''1500 m'' |
3:29.77 |
''Mile'' |
3:47.33 |
''2000 m'' |
4:58.84 |
''3000 m'' |
7:54.32 |
''5000 m'' |
14:06.2 |
Trivia
Coe was featured in the ''
Brass Eye'' spoof documentary on
paedophilia.
He was a model for menswear retailer Horne Bros.
American Olympic 1500 m and 5000 m athlete
Jim Spivey is said to have named a son after Coe.
Appeared as himself in the episode 'Not a Good Day' from the 4th series (season) of the British sitcom "The Brittas Empire"
Sebastian Coe is a Judo enthusiast.
He is allergic to fish and amphetamines.
Styles and honours
Master Sebastian Coe (1956–1960)
Mr Sebastian Coe (1960–1982)
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–)
See also
Middle distance track event
References
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 Telegraph, 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
Alberto Juantorena|title=Men's 800 metres World Record Holder|years=1979-07-05 – 1997-07-07|after= Wilson Kipketer}}
Filbert Bayi|title=Men's 1500 m World Record Holder|years=15 August 1979 – 27 August 1980|after= Steve Ovett}}
John Walker|title=Men's Mile World Record Holder|years=17 July 1979 – 1 July 1980|after= Steve Ovett}}
Steve Ovett|title=Men's Mile World Record Holder|years=19 August 1981 – 26 August 1981|after= Steve Ovett}}
Steve Ovett|title=Men's Mile World Record Holder|years=28 August 1981 – 27 July 1985|after= Steve Cram}}
Marcello Fiasconaro|title=European Record Holder Men's 800 m|years=5 July 1979 - 6 July 1997|after= Wilson Kipketer}}
Jean Wadoux|title=European Record Holder Men's 1500 m|years=17 July 1979 - 26 August 1980|after= Steve Ovett}}
Steve Ovett |after= Robin Cousins|years=1979}}
Henry Rono|after= Edwin Moses|years=1979}}
Edwin Moses|after= Carl Lewis|years=1981}}
Liu Qi|after= Carlos Arthur Nuzman|years=Games of the XXX Olympiad|2012}}
Category:2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Alumni of Loughborough University
Category:People educated at Tapton School
Category:Anglo-Indian people
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
Category:BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners
Category:British athlete-politicians
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for England
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs
Category:Conservative Party (UK) life peers
Category:English middle distance runners
Category:Former world record holders in athletics (track and field)
Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Living people
Category:British judoka
Category:Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for constituencies in Cornwall
Category:Olympic athletes of Great Britain
Category:Olympic gold medalists for Great Britain
Category:Olympic silver medalists for Great Britain
Category:People from Chiswick
Category:English people of Indian descent
Category:Sheffield Legends
Category:Sport in Sheffield
Category:Sports players and officials awarded knighthoods
Category:UK MPs 1992–1997
Category:1956 births
Category:Sportspeople from London
Category:Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
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