Ovett subsequently vowed never to focus on just one opponenrt ever again, and had the lesson of this defeat in mind during the 1980 Olympic 800m final.
Ovett could and should have won this race despite Beyer's (alleged) drug use. In his autobiography Ovett says that he wanted to go past Coe on the back straight just before the final bend because Coe slowed down while Ovett still felt strong. However, Ovett thought it may be a tactic by Coe to force him wide around the bend so he decided to wait until the straight. In fact Coe was slowing down because he was spent, and in delaying his move Ovett allowed Beyer to keep in touch.
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: than a little p***** off with Beyer - even after all these years - then who can blame him?
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: in Prague was a hollow one.
If Mr Ovett (and not Mr Beyer) had finished first in that race - the 800 metres final at the European Athletics Championships of 1978 - then the big 'O' would have achieved something which his fabled rival, Sebastian Coe, never managed to achieve in his long and distinguished career on the track: an 800 metres/1500 metres "double" Gold at a major international championship.
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: was a hollow one.
Back in the 1970's, the East German sports authorities were notorious for condoning - and indeed actively promoting - drug abuse by their top athletes and swimmers. Of course, that fact in itself does not prove that Beyer was on performance-enhancing 'persian rugs' in the run-up to the 1978 European Championships ..... but, overall, the evidence - considered in its entirety - leads one to suspect that
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: that, all things considered, I think there is a high degree of probability that Mr Beyer was an athlete who resorted to illegal methods in order to achieve his victory in Prague. 31st August 1978 was the big East German's "day in the sun", as it were - but I suspect that he needed the artificial (and illegal) assistance of anabolic steroids in order to defeat the two outstandingly gifted British athletes. If so, then his victory
If Mr Ovett was denied the 800 metres Gold medal by a cheating athlete who used illegal, performance-enhancing "persian rugs", then I think it is an absolute disgrace, to be frankly honest.
From what I understand, Olaf Beyer - the 6 foot 4" East German runner who finished ahead of Mr Ovett and Mr Coe in that controversial race - has consistently and vehemently denied using illegal drugs to enhance his performance. For all I know, he may be telling the truth ..... but I have to say
I noticed that Mr Coe's time (for the first 400 metres of that race) was 49.32 seconds - which is pretty swift even by today's standards; let alone those of the 1970's! If he had used those tactics in the 800m final at the Moscow Olympic Games, two years later, he would almost certainly have won the race. After all, he was fitter, faster and stronger in 1980 than he had been at the time of the European Championships in Prague, 24 months earlier. Mr Ovett, on the other hand, probably wasn't.
@pedro. Yes they were, Joaquim Cruz and Kirk Dumpleton - look him up - have both beaten Coe and Ovett in the same race.
@athlete5399, is that you 1981 aLaN? If so, you have friends here.
Where's Deano?
As for the race, this was a bold effort by Coe, part of his longrange plan to develop unbeatable speed. He had the balls to take it out in a big way and give it to his opponents...and himself, in the process.
@KingLiopleurodon LOL! Yes, Kirk Dumpleton beat both of them in the 1972 English Schools X-country championships. It was about 5 miles and he beat Ovett by 23 secs. Ovett was 2nd in 21:42 and Coe 10th in 22:05. Mind you Ovett was 16 and Coe a year younger.
Yeah, Ovett and Coe said he acted very strangely and on the podium his eyes were bloodshot. He just wasn't normal and they strongly suspected that he had had a high dosage of something he shouldn't have!
Ovett subsequently vowed never to focus on just one opponenrt ever again, and had the lesson of this defeat in mind during the 1980 Olympic 800m final.
AlanBurtonSinger 10 hours ago
Ovett could and should have won this race despite Beyer's (alleged) drug use. In his autobiography Ovett says that he wanted to go past Coe on the back straight just before the final bend because Coe slowed down while Ovett still felt strong. However, Ovett thought it may be a tactic by Coe to force him wide around the bend so he decided to wait until the straight. In fact Coe was slowing down because he was spent, and in delaying his move Ovett allowed Beyer to keep in touch.
AlanBurtonSinger 10 hours ago
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: than a little p***** off with Beyer - even after all these years - then who can blame him?
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: in Prague was a hollow one.
If Mr Ovett (and not Mr Beyer) had finished first in that race - the 800 metres final at the European Athletics Championships of 1978 - then the big 'O' would have achieved something which his fabled rival, Sebastian Coe, never managed to achieve in his long and distinguished career on the track: an 800 metres/1500 metres "double" Gold at a major international championship.
If Steve feels more
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: was a hollow one.
Back in the 1970's, the East German sports authorities were notorious for condoning - and indeed actively promoting - drug abuse by their top athletes and swimmers. Of course, that fact in itself does not prove that Beyer was on performance-enhancing 'persian rugs' in the run-up to the 1978 European Championships ..... but, overall, the evidence - considered in its entirety - leads one to suspect that
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
[Continuing on from my previous 'post' about Mr Olaf Beyer]: that, all things considered, I think there is a high degree of probability that Mr Beyer was an athlete who resorted to illegal methods in order to achieve his victory in Prague. 31st August 1978 was the big East German's "day in the sun", as it were - but I suspect that he needed the artificial (and illegal) assistance of anabolic steroids in order to defeat the two outstandingly gifted British athletes. If so, then his victory
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
If Mr Ovett was denied the 800 metres Gold medal by a cheating athlete who used illegal, performance-enhancing "persian rugs", then I think it is an absolute disgrace, to be frankly honest.
From what I understand, Olaf Beyer - the 6 foot 4" East German runner who finished ahead of Mr Ovett and Mr Coe in that controversial race - has consistently and vehemently denied using illegal drugs to enhance his performance. For all I know, he may be telling the truth ..... but I have to say
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
I noticed that Mr Coe's time (for the first 400 metres of that race) was 49.32 seconds - which is pretty swift even by today's standards; let alone those of the 1970's! If he had used those tactics in the 800m final at the Moscow Olympic Games, two years later, he would almost certainly have won the race. After all, he was fitter, faster and stronger in 1980 than he had been at the time of the European Championships in Prague, 24 months earlier. Mr Ovett, on the other hand, probably wasn't.
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
Comment removed
TheEctomorph 5 months ago
Comment removed
mmsteidl 8 months ago
Another in the generation and regime of cheating denies two legends of the track.... Blistering first 400 by Coe.
LiamP77 1 year ago
Kirk Dumpleton went to loughborough like Coe
wigglywaggly 1 year ago
Nothing athletic about Beyer's running. Another victory for the GDR's chemists.
beebeechitown 1 year ago
@pedro. Yes they were, Joaquim Cruz and Kirk Dumpleton - look him up - have both beaten Coe and Ovett in the same race.
@athlete5399, is that you 1981 aLaN? If so, you have friends here.
Where's Deano?
As for the race, this was a bold effort by Coe, part of his longrange plan to develop unbeatable speed. He had the balls to take it out in a big way and give it to his opponents...and himself, in the process.
KingLiopleurodon 1 year ago
@KingLiopleurodon LOL! Yes, Kirk Dumpleton beat both of them in the 1972 English Schools X-country championships. It was about 5 miles and he beat Ovett by 23 secs. Ovett was 2nd in 21:42 and Coe 10th in 22:05. Mind you Ovett was 16 and Coe a year younger.
deano27671 1 year ago
Isn't odd how Beyer runs off the track at the end? I recall reading abou this.
martynhanson 2 years ago 2
Does any body have the 1500m final from the same meeting?
fitzieo1 2 years ago
Hi there, yes i do - I thought I already had it on YouTube but i'll sort it out and put it on there! kevin
athlete5399 2 years ago
Great Kevin be so good to see.
fitzieo1 2 years ago
well there you go...i dont think that coe and ovett have been beaten in the same race :P thanx for the footage athlete5399 great to see
pedro800m 2 years ago
David Coleman's commentary down the finishing straight went, "Have the Britains destroyed each other? Yes they have!".
willibaldcornfed 2 years ago 2
@willibaldcornfed Adrian Metcalfe
ollie705 1 year ago
that was the quickest that Steve Ovett ever ran and he still didnt win, yet he went on to win the Olympic 800m
englishman1960 2 years ago
oh guys SHUT UPP!
Beyer is the best!!
cookielite 2 years ago
not exactly all of them were cheats. and what do you mean 'even' coe?? are you assuming he was cheating??? get your facts straight!!!!!!!!!!!!
odysseyintime 2 years ago
Pretty much all of those East Germans were cheats. I am pretty sure Ovett and even Coe were clean.
bootymanager 2 years ago
Yeah, Ovett and Coe said he acted very strangely and on the podium his eyes were bloodshot. He just wasn't normal and they strongly suspected that he had had a high dosage of something he shouldn't have!
athlete5399 3 years ago 2
Do you have the 1500m final.?
fitzieo1 2 years ago
Watch how Beyer immediately disappears into the stadium. Very strange.
Mark5058 3 years ago
Bloody hell! It's not often you see both Coe and Ovett beaten in the same race!
benoni45 3 years ago