Steve used to regularly wave to kids on cancer wards that he had visited before races - don't suppose you know that.
You probably also are unaware that he (while he was olympic 800m champion) ran as a pacemaker to help athletes in Australia make the qualifying time! (they failed that day - but that's not his fault!).
You may not like the wave - but Steve Ovett was and is a thoroughly good bloke. End of,
The title of this video says more about the author than Ovett.
Ovett was a country mile better than Treacy but in trying to win with minimal effort he messed up.
Every athlete (yes - I was one once) would say "Good on you John - well done" and " Steve - be more careful!" , but to describe this as arrogance (as opposed to over-confidence) is ridiculous.
@philwestturkey waving to the crowd while on the last kick for home is arrogance not over confidence. over confidence is falsely believing you can beat your opponent handily, arrogance is rubbing that belief in your opponents face........like waving to the crowd while someone is chasing you down.
Ovett was one of the 1st to congratulate Treacy after the race. He was playing to the crowd in a non championship race, truth is he was a class apart. A few years earlier he had finished 2nd in a 1500 metre race won by the pace maker ! Ovett was the only one to even try to chase him down but didn't get there. But after the race he was again quick to congratulate the winner. When it came to Championship races he always gave his all,his epic effort in LA when struggling with a virus says it all.
I don't think this race was of any importance. I mean they were literally trotting until the last 80m. And then kept looking around. And at the end he purposefully leaned backward as the guy came up. Someone like him would know not to lean BACK if he wanted to win. It was most likely just in good fun. Hence why he was smiling even afterward. Just my opinion though.
Read Ovetts autobiography, there are only about 8 photos in the book and one was him being beaten by Treacy. Would an arrogant person have included that? He actually found it amusing. Of course he was very confident on the track, we could do with someone with his personality & ability now. I don't think if you were 800m champion you would expect a xc specialist to do you! Some unknown runner from Wimbledon once set some obscure club, vets record who sent a mssge congratulating him, Steve Ovett!
Same happened a few weeks back when chris hoy i think, was pipped on the line on the cycling track by an irish cyclist because he slowed up before the line.
Treacy was everything Ovett was not - modest, humble. But he was seriously talented - in a time when Irish athletes got no support he excelled at track, road and cross country. Two times world X country champ
@jaqmart i've got to say as an irish kid being brought up in london that ovett was not an arrogant man, many times i watched him run @ crystal palace & always with out fail after a race would go & sign autographs for the disabled spectators & give away sonsors kit & stuff unlike the true arrogant seb coe . ovett was merely the cheeky chappie. but by god it was good to see John T beat him on the line. Ovett never waved again untill hed crossed the line .
Ovett loved running and the thrill of the crowd. This is one time where he let his over-zealousness get the better of him: he learned from it and joked on it later. He is a decent chap and a relatable human being, unlike that elitist robot Seb Coe.
@knightsxc06 as an irishman i love this clip, but i do accept your reasoning here. i'm glad to hear that ovett could joke about it later. i admire that.
I remember watching this race at the time and the excitement it generated among athletics in Ireland. I thought it was a 3,000m race though, but I may be wrong. I vaguely remember it being an odd race distance at the time. Thanks for sharing!
He had every right to be arrogant during a race, we could do with somebody with his talent and charisma right now! Treacy who won the race went on to get Olympic Silver in the Marathon in a brilliant race
Ovett put the picture of him getting beat in this race in his autobiography, one of the few pics in the book, he found it quite amusing. Hardly the actions of somebody with a big ego
Wonderful fairy tale there bud!
Mbombit 2 days ago
How embarrassing
cicirunner 3 days ago
@MisterBouncyBounce
I'm sorry - we'll have to agree to disagree.
Steve used to regularly wave to kids on cancer wards that he had visited before races - don't suppose you know that.
You probably also are unaware that he (while he was olympic 800m champion) ran as a pacemaker to help athletes in Australia make the qualifying time! (they failed that day - but that's not his fault!).
You may not like the wave - but Steve Ovett was and is a thoroughly good bloke. End of,
philwestturkey 5 days ago
The title of this video says more about the author than Ovett.
Ovett was a country mile better than Treacy but in trying to win with minimal effort he messed up.
Every athlete (yes - I was one once) would say "Good on you John - well done" and " Steve - be more careful!" , but to describe this as arrogance (as opposed to over-confidence) is ridiculous.
philwestturkey 1 week ago
@philwestturkey waving to the crowd while on the last kick for home is arrogance not over confidence. over confidence is falsely believing you can beat your opponent handily, arrogance is rubbing that belief in your opponents face........like waving to the crowd while someone is chasing you down.
MisterBouncyBounce in reply to philwestturkey (Show the comment) 5 days ago
Silly Ovett! Only Usain Bolt can celebrate that early and still win.
0besePlatypus 1 week ago
ovett is an ASS!!!!
officerdepfife 1 week ago
No the title of the video says it all for all of you defending ovett
Gscrunner7 1 week ago
Ovett was one of the 1st to congratulate Treacy after the race. He was playing to the crowd in a non championship race, truth is he was a class apart. A few years earlier he had finished 2nd in a 1500 metre race won by the pace maker ! Ovett was the only one to even try to chase him down but didn't get there. But after the race he was again quick to congratulate the winner. When it came to Championship races he always gave his all,his epic effort in LA when struggling with a virus says it all.
cobee33 2 weeks ago
I don't think this race was of any importance. I mean they were literally trotting until the last 80m. And then kept looking around. And at the end he purposefully leaned backward as the guy came up. Someone like him would know not to lean BACK if he wanted to win. It was most likely just in good fun. Hence why he was smiling even afterward. Just my opinion though.
lewickerman 3 weeks ago
Still think he's a bad sport look up this:
Steve Ovett - AAA 1,500m Heat & Final 1979
And watch last 2 minutes of video:
athleticscoach2012 3 weeks ago
One of the most epic fails in sports history!! Ranks right up there with Lindsey "showboat" Jacobellis....
officerdepfife 3 weeks ago
What a tool
proteanview 3 weeks ago
Read Ovetts autobiography, there are only about 8 photos in the book and one was him being beaten by Treacy. Would an arrogant person have included that? He actually found it amusing. Of course he was very confident on the track, we could do with someone with his personality & ability now. I don't think if you were 800m champion you would expect a xc specialist to do you! Some unknown runner from Wimbledon once set some obscure club, vets record who sent a mssge congratulating him, Steve Ovett!
athleticscoach2012 3 weeks ago
ha ha , smug prick , did you see how he lookad and smirked at treacy as he finished ,
10guitars 1 month ago
no matter how hard it may feel to speed up at the end of a 3k...you've still got to kill yourself AT THE VERY LEAST on the last lap.
48forks 1 month ago
Epic
boscoesarmy 1 month ago
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Epic moment. Ovett was a great runner but his pompousness was gonna get him one day.
Pihasanddunes1 1 month ago
Epic moment. Ovett was a great runner but his pompousness was gonna get him one day.
Pihasanddunes1 1 month ago
And he blocks as well......notice how he swerve to the right as he runs down the straight.
bzach71 1 month ago
@bzach71 dirty trick, but legal.
kozmon0t in reply to bzach71 (Show the comment) 1 month ago
Never count your chickens before they have hatched.
CaneFu 1 month ago
OMG
CWTHenrik 1 month ago
this video makes me happy that Seb Coe was generally accepted as the victor in the coe vs ovett era.
linglingjr 1 month ago
Manzano also took one from Wheating recently. Wheating foolishly shut down at the line.
aaardvarkkk 1 month ago
steve ovett won 800m gold at moscow... awkward.
humptymunkee 2 months ago
Waving his arm at 100m fueled Treacy. Well done John, deserved. No-one likes smug
srjone 2 months ago
Could have won is he didn't start waving his hands in the air and cheering for himself.
crimsonmonieful 2 months ago
Leave the celebration till after the line
cjas1368 2 months ago
nothing to do with arrogance,just misjudged it careleesly
scarred10 3 months ago
Same happened a few weeks back when chris hoy i think, was pipped on the line on the cycling track by an irish cyclist because he slowed up before the line.
calerbass 3 months ago
he pulled a desean jackson lol
AsianGreatness 3 months ago
Nothing like a bit of the smug to make you compete like a demon
muirisosullivan 3 months ago
Thats not arrogant thats a silly mistake lol
AnuclypseMetal 3 months ago
Treacy was everything Ovett was not - modest, humble. But he was seriously talented - in a time when Irish athletes got no support he excelled at track, road and cross country. Two times world X country champ
jaqmart 4 months ago
@jaqmart i've got to say as an irish kid being brought up in london that ovett was not an arrogant man, many times i watched him run @ crystal palace & always with out fail after a race would go & sign autographs for the disabled spectators & give away sonsors kit & stuff unlike the true arrogant seb coe . ovett was merely the cheeky chappie. but by god it was good to see John T beat him on the line. Ovett never waved again untill hed crossed the line .
pjtufty66 in reply to jaqmart (Show the comment) 3 months ago 3
Great race, arrogance is part of the fun. Take a look at coughlan winning world 5k with a similar show of arrogance, this time from an irishman.
craughwellac 4 months ago
Hahaha fuckin gobshite never rule out the irish
jimmy83d 4 months ago
I heard about this 30 years ago but never saw it until now. A classic clip!
God bless Youtube. :)
MartyMolloy 4 months ago
Did you hear about the Englishman with the inferiority complex? He thought he was the same as everybody else.
gardenhero 4 months ago
Haha, First time seeing that. Thats gas!!!
Think that raised fist just drove Treacy on over the last 100m.
woosy07 4 months ago
FUCK!
macco66 4 months ago
The commentator was just as arrogant!!!!!
Elbonio1 4 months ago 16
Oh my God that is so damn funny!
HouseofJello 4 months ago 23
ahah loved it
Raspadinha94 5 months ago
great finish race by John Treacy! what arrongance by the other British runner
Hever73 5 months ago
@Hever73 What do you mean "other British runner" Irish is not British.
gardenhero in reply to Hever73 (Show the comment) 4 months ago
Never quit!
GearoidPainter 5 months ago
Ovett loved running and the thrill of the crowd. This is one time where he let his over-zealousness get the better of him: he learned from it and joked on it later. He is a decent chap and a relatable human being, unlike that elitist robot Seb Coe.
knightsxc06 5 months ago 2
@knightsxc06 as an irishman i love this clip, but i do accept your reasoning here. i'm glad to hear that ovett could joke about it later. i admire that.
hughrjc in reply to knightsxc06 (Show the comment) 4 months ago
Comment removed
hughrjc in reply to knightsxc06 (Show the comment) 4 months ago
Arrogant cunt!
sokha326 5 months ago
HAHAHAhahahahahahaha!!!!!! what an arrogant fool
thecrookedman1 6 months ago
The rabbit and the hare.
savedfaves 6 months ago
Comment removed
savedfaves 6 months ago
Thank God for british sport commentators.Great entertainment for the rest of the english speaking world.
ytorrejone 6 months ago
ye no he would be running for gb, john showing the irish never say die attitude
frank81750 6 months ago
I remember watching this race at the time and the excitement it generated among athletics in Ireland. I thought it was a 3,000m race though, but I may be wrong. I vaguely remember it being an odd race distance at the time. Thanks for sharing!
CaptainKaneko 7 months ago
@CaptainKaneko A great finish. I think the distance is 5000m. The commentator gives the winning time as 13m 27.8s.
nohassel in reply to CaptainKaneko (Show the comment) 6 months ago
He had every right to be arrogant during a race, we could do with somebody with his talent and charisma right now! Treacy who won the race went on to get Olympic Silver in the Marathon in a brilliant race
Ovett put the picture of him getting beat in this race in his autobiography, one of the few pics in the book, he found it quite amusing. Hardly the actions of somebody with a big ego
athleticscoach2012 7 months ago
Ovett won the 800M gold , Coe won the 1500M...
cjh007 7 months ago
Great title for the video. What a Putz for raising his hand like that prematurely.
pylematt 7 months ago
@pylematt Not as a big a putz as Carl Lewis tossing a sure sea level 200m WR away showboating to the finish, but still winning with ease.
ObscureAuteur in reply to pylematt (Show the comment) 6 months ago