Golden Mile 1981 Sebastian Coe Breaks World Record

[BGRguitar]

The announcer sounds so much like someone from monty python

[RipCruncher1]

The late, great David Coleman who you've never even heard if you mean ?

[mathewawood]

Got to love Coes Dad and trainer going potty on the inside of the track (the man in a red coat)

[bobwalker71]

Unlike modern day athletes who are drug addicts Sebastian Coe was as clean as a whistle. Just look at his build - he does not have gigantic arms and muscular legs that are built on harmones and drugs.

Simple training and discipline is what makes a real champion.

Coe is truly one of a kind, a humble champion.

[Kidsgrove49]

I don't much like the skin colour debate, it sucks.Colour makes no difference, except perhaps mentally.If you start believing you can't achieve, then you can't.

Fact is; Seb Coe ran the 800m in 1:41.73. He trained mainly in the UK, and used the facilities available in 1981. That time is hardly ever beaten, even with massive money and pace-makers. The clock doesn't lie, but people do !

[teewoods]

Coe maybe a great runner but he was an arrogant and unpleasant dickhead! Ovett and Cram were far better and good natured people

[deano27671]

@teewoods Based on what? What are your dealings with the 3 of them?

[Mastahfung]

Why is there a racial debate? Running requires cardiovascular strength, not skin pigment.

[bobwalker71]

If one does not get goose bumps watching the last 200 meters, then there is something wrong.

Seems that Coe heard the commentator saying ' where is the Coe kick ' and suddenly he takes off....

[marlin804]

In the book Running Free, he said he hit the pace runners leg.....not the curb. I wonder what he would have run this race in if he had been trying to run a WR. He was more concerned about beating Boit rather than his time. I am guessing low 3:46 with the way he surged at the end. Maybe faster....?

[deano27671]

@marlin804 He said in his biography that if he'd "gone for it at the bell" he'd have run 3:46.5. Considering he was left in front at 1000m and ran the next 200m to the bell with no "drafting", as most WR attempts have, we can knock another 0.5 off. On top of that the first 2 laps were very uneven at 55.3, 58.0 (compared to the economical 57.2, 57.3 in Cram's subsequent WR). I'd say on that day he had the potential of running 3:45 flat had he decent pace to the bell.

[joeyrifficify]

At 3:01, Coe had a frightening stumble. What caused this?

[joeyrifficify]

@joeyrifficify Well, actually, "frightening" seems like an exaggeration, but the incident reminds me of times when I've twisted an ankle and fallen to the pavement.

[Dntrustme42]

@PONYBOY430: Wait, are you saying "Fuck steve scott" or "Fuck, steve scott"?

[ralucagymnast]

Absolutely breathtaking; goosebumps;)

[dravidr007]

cunt

[LOVEismyLord]

At 3:13, Peter can be seen on the 200m start shouting the lap time at Seb. What a team.

[jobuXC]

everybody looks like they're sprinting in the beginning except for Coe. always smooth, precise, and naturally quick... inspiring without a doubt

[chatham43]

..such a graceful majestic runner...those were the days....

[hellomate639]

Pretty fucking amazing...

[CoachTracy209]

Most likely the greatest mid distant runner ever. His times took your breath away when he ran them back in late 70s early 80s. Remember when he ran 141 for 800. Wow!

[deano27671]

@CoachTracy209 He actually said in his biography that he treated it as more of a race than a WR attempt (which I think is mentioned in the commentary), and that he "surged" on the last lap, purposely speeding up and slowing down, leaving something for the last 100m, which he covered in 13.1. He went on to say that had he gone "all out" at the bell he'd have run 3:46.5. With a more economic 3 first 440s (55.3, 58.0, 58.6) I think he'd have broken 3:45.

[zarakhast]

Sheer willpower. And athletic ability. Love it. He went to the same school as I did (at a different time). He deserves all the accolades. He made us all very excited and proud at the time. He's one of the best athletes of all time and has gone on to champion the sport since. Good luck to him and to the amazing Steve Ovett too. Two Brits who knew how to WIN.

[blobby1972]

what a fantastic name SABASTIAN COE

[ACproductionvideos]

yaa! lorde seb coe

[noguhd06]

any body elas enotice that this races is similar to hicham breaking the mile wr with noah nygeny on his tail breaking it as well, except the african guy didnt do so in this vid on account of he couldnt hang wit coe da last 100m.

[deano27671]

Yes, I agree. The difference here is that the lap times were very erratic- 55.2 followed by 58.1. The 3rd lap slowed even more (58.6) and so Coe treated it as a race as he wasn't clear of Boit at the bell, holding something back for the last 100m, where he pulled about 10m away from Boit. He said in his biography, that had he really gone for the record at the bell he'd have run 3:46.5, which means he'd have run even faster with even pace for the first 3 laps. ELG's last 100~13.8, Coe's~13.1

[mrcatohead]

i was about to say exaclty that, and also that the chaser is negro on a white guy aswell like hicham

[JoeyFudd]

Coe had the best running form I had ever seen in the 1980's. His running aesthetics were great. Since then, I'd say Jeremy Wariner at the Olympics in 2004 had great form too. Carl Lewis was a pretty runner too, even if he was a little light in his slippers. ;)

[iamreally9]

the previous world record split for 1500m was 3 31. with a final time of 3 48. 17 seconds for the 100m. thats worse than my finish

[deano27671]

Not quite right. The 1500 WR at this time was 3:31.36 (by Ovett) & the previous WR for the Mile (set 2 days earlier!) was 3:48.40 (Ovett in Koblenz). He went through the 1500m point in that race in 3:32.9, thus covered the last 109.344m in 15.5; worth 14.2 for 100m. The conversion for 1500m to 1 Mile is x 1.08. So Ovett's Mile was worth 3:31.5, about on a par with his 1500m best. When Coe ran 3:47, he went through 1500m in 3:32.94, slightly down on Ovett's corresponding mark in his Mile record.

[deano27671]

He then "kicked" quite noticeably and covered the last 109.* in 14.39. His last 100m was published in L'Equipe at the time as 13.1. His finishing time of 3:47.33 was worth about 3:30.5 (if you divide by 1.08). Being able to finish that fast (the fastest 100m split of the whole race, which is not normally the case in "fast Miles") shows that he wasn't really going flat out and should have been capable of quite a bit faster, especially considering the uneconomical pace~ 55.3, 58.0, 58.6& 55.4.

[AYjames91]

Why can't athletics be like this today.

Gutsy runs like this are few and far between in athletics at present.

Everyone at the top is African, it annoys me when people say white people can't compete with the Africans, when Seb Coe ran 1:41.73 for 800 and 3:29.67 for 1500 20 years ago without all the technology modern athletes have.

And everyone these days wears the same Nike or Adidas kit, you can't tell them apart! Athletics has lost its' character.

[estifanico]

@AYjames91 elguerrouj was white

[M3anDAD]

@estifanico he was from morroco, which is part of Africa.

[estifanico]

@M3anDAD I know that and I am from Morocco too..and if you're from Africa you will get familiar with the terms Black Africa and White Africa..two completely different cultures..also by world race classification middle easterns and northern africans are classified as white.

[jwkaricho]

@AYjames91 I like your comment. wake up USA boys to play the game we love .  from Kenya ;)

[RelativeBadger]

@AYjames91 What a stupid comment! Your great grandma said this and her great grandma said it too and even your great grandma's great grandma said it too...and your childrens' children will say it again in the future. Nothing has changed - it's simply developed.

[jon62punk]

@AYjames91

Don't you think that technology has actuallly slowed running down ? Athletes ( I'm a road/XC runner since 1984) now seem more reliant on technology than hard work - in the 90's a local road race would be won ( 10 mile for EG) in around 50-52 mins with plenty under 55 mins . Races over 10 on road generally these days will be won in 55-56 mins . That tells us SOMETHING .

[biscuitmancollin]

@AYjames91 saying white people can't compete is just a crutch to lean on when lazy whites want an excuse for losing, that's all it is is a damn excuse for not pushin yourself to the limit and running with balls. pisses me off every time i hear someone say that. i wanna smack them across the face. the worst is when someone says 'black people are born with an extra calf muscle.'....that's fuckin stupid.

[bjropel]

@AYjames91 ya screw nike and adidas...GO NEW BALANCE!!!

[theluke0322]

Haha this is so insane. There's this one kid I get to see run tomorrow that runs a 4:09 named danny neff and I can't wait to see him run that. I run a 4:45 myself but this is my first year running distance as a sophomore. Also a 2:03 in the 800. Lol a joke compared to these guys.

[odysseyintime]

also unlike ovett, he didnt transport a gang of pacemakers with him to a WR attempt. in all his intentional record attempts, there was pacing for sure, but he never knew who would be pacing him.

[Mendingle1]

El Guerrouj > Coe

[deano27671]

EL G, 3 world records, Seb Coe 8 world records( not counting indoor and relay)! EL G 3 Olympic medals, Coe 4 Olympic medals

8>3.

4> 3!

Lol!

[manutdfreek]

well said lol

[PrestonZero]

Coe is a better 800m runner.

Guerrouj is a better 15,000m runner.

They are both great runners.

Guerrouj=Coe

[deano27671]

I disagree, but I accept your sentiment. They are both all time great athletes, undoubtedly! They competed in very different eras, which I've explained before and don't want to bore you with. I will add that Coe is the "only" man to break the Mile record 3 times since WW2 and the "only" man to win consecutive Olympic titles at 1500m, so EL G may be his equal at 1500m but certainly not his superior.

[deano27671]

EL G was primarily a 1500m runner, Coe was a middle distance runner with slightly more focus on the 800m. Considering Coe only ran 8 1500m/Mile races (not including rounds in the Olympics) between Sep '78 & May '82, in which 4 were WRs, 2 were within 0.6 of the WR & 1 was an Olympic gold! , then it could be argued that he would have run a lot faster and broken more WRs had he; a) run the distance more often; or b) had a highly-trained squad that paced him in training as well as competition!

[iamreally9]

deano. your answer to mendingle made me laugh. ever though of becoming a lawyer. :)

[deano27671]

Cheers!

:0)

[genderpretender]

im no expert but i reckon that seb coe wud still hold world records in most if not all of his events if he hadnt been struck by illness in his prime

[deano27671]

Yes, he'd certainly still be record holder of the 800 & 1000 if he'd been able to run at his best in '82/83. He never really run enough 1500s and Miles in his prime to see what he was capable of, but a 3:27 1500 & a 3:44 Mile were certainly within his capability. I am a bit skeptical of the current records set in the era when EPO wasn't detectable. Strange that since 2004, when a reliable test emerged (some countries still dont have random testing!), v. few athletes have run sub 3:30.

[acorn606]

Everytime I see this the shivers pass down the spine. I can remember the actual summer  all the world records were smashed. It was a great time to be Brtish. This run took a complete second off the record - some run

[bnewman227]

great sentiments mate. as an aussie my relatives are mostly british and emigrated here and i remember their excitement and praise of their boys coe, cram and ovett back in the day. This guy Coe was something else wasnt he!?...i dont think we've seen such middle distance athletes since.

[militaryhistorian67]

Owned.

[singerr7]

that brillant something i look foward to in 2012 :)

[ord1711]

So, so amazing.

[seniortutor]

This still sends tingles down my back all these years later!!

[Moomitrolly]

sublime

[murraysheps]

his daughter goes to my school

[Daltonglenn]

i ran the mile in 82 and 83 my best time was 4;33 coe was my favorite runner!!

[animatorstarter]

3:47 that is crazy i'm 14 and my time is 5:17

[DANNYBOY365]

lol im so out of shape. im 14 and today i ran 6:58.

but i just started last week. first time i ran was 7:52. then 7:44

then 7:31. then 7:21 and now i just ran 6:58.

i suck but im just starting i cant wait to see how fast i can get to in a long time. :D

[Stillyouturnmeon]

Beautiful,It makes me want to cry

[Bligh1780]

Sebastian Coe always appeared to run like a throttled down freight train ready to unleash it's power at the perfect opportunity. He was an especially gifted athlete, always beautifully prepared for each of his major races. I'm not certain but has there been a British middle distance runner of his caliber since his retirement?.

[deano27671]

Nope! Lol! I agree with your sentiments. He was poetry in motion and possessed with amazing reserves of inner strength and endurance that belied his 9 stone frame. Of this race he said subsequently, that he felt so relaxed throughout and was holding back too much when he should have been pushing himself.

[deano27671]

His primary aim was to win the race, one in which Ovett was due to run until he pulled out 2 days before to run an 800m in Norway instead. Coe said that with 2 laps to go he toyed with the idea of going all out before making a split decision to just win the race instead! It was his 3rd world record at the Mile in 3 attempts.

[Ravachol99]

A million thanks for this video ! I am belgian, I was 19 as I went for the first time and see the Memorial Van Damme... This race was just unbeleivable. Such a great moment !!!

[McElhinney65]

Seb was a national hero, a brave and gritting runner. A sorting superstar.

[gpc31]

I love the way Coe used to single out someone and yell in anger after some of his races. Check out 4:43 into the video -- there's some real aggression directed at somebody.

[flo2005]

What a great pleasure to watch this video. This man was the hero of my youth !

[leloby]

This was a classic reminder of a Tory-led downward spiral into a disgusting disparity in UK wealth in the '80s. Sad to see that Coe is prolonging the agony by leading London into another fleece job by ripping off the poor and lining his pockets. Watching this is quite agonising, but it is also therapy for me as it reminds me that I can sleep at night knowing I have given him nothing and I have never taken performance enhancing drugs either.

[MrM0j0Risin6666]

What has his running a world record in 81 got to do with politics in 2007 you sad prick????

[leloby]

You KNOW youre a thicko wanker.

[leloby]

But I love you all the same. Kisses xxxx.

[MrM0j0Risin6666]

I love you to my Trolling friend. Kisses to u to.

[dancupid]

@MrM0j0Risin6666 3 years ago you wrote this - aye, them wert days

[Freedomdave]

I love youtube. where else is it so easy to find any video you want. catch track and field on tv is impossible

[HeroicButModest]

David Coleman, an all-time great commentator on British television. He is certainly on form here, providing just the right blend of information, enthusiasm and drama. We forgive him his occasional dalliance with hyperbole. Fundamentalists may take issue with Coleman's assertion that this is "a miracle mile". Anyone numerate may object to Coleman's claim after 69 seconds of this race that the leading three runners "are already miles ahead of the rest". Now that would be a miracle. -- David Foley

[pinball1458]

david coleman is an absolute legend and he was so good at commentating and presenting i dont think anyone can beat him

[deano27671]

If Coe had raced more at 1500m/ Mile he would have run much faster,certainly better than Cram's pbs for the distances.Coe ran only 5 1500m in the 3 seasons btween 79 & 81; a world record,Olympic gold, and 2 within 0.6 of the world record. He ran only 3 Miles in the same period;..all world records! He ran 3.31 in 81 after running first lap in 52.4!& 800m in 1:49.1; ridiculous pace! He still managed to run whole race solo & miss the WR by 0.59! Had he been given even pace he would have run 3.28.

[gpc31]

Deano,

Any comment or insight about Coe's post race aggression?

[deano27671]

Im not really sure! I think it was just the fact that he had got the record back off Ovett, after Steve had taken it off him 2 days earlier. Coe had also put a lot of pressure on himself about 10 days earlier, when he had stated that he believed he could break both the 1500 and Mile records simultaneously in the same race, and then had been clearly disappointed with his performance in Zurich when he had only shaved a few tenths off the Mile and had missed the 1500 completely.

[deano27671]

I think perhaps he felt the way he ran the last 100m here in 13.1 vindicated his belief that it was indeed possible, which perhaps some had not been convinced about. You must also remember that this was only his 3rd Mile race in 2 years, and each had been a WR. He wasn't as experienced at the distance as Ovett, but had he run them more frequently then who knows how much quicker he would have run!

[Rettamann]

I disagree. Cram wouldn't hace got near Coe over 8 but I think it would have been his just over the mile.

[deano27671]

Greatest middle distance runner of all time! He held 3 different distance world records at this point. I disagree with mark; Cram in 85 was at his v. best, and Coe was perhaps slightly past his best by then, but Cram wouldn't have beaten Coe in his 81 or late 84 form. Remember Cram only beaten once in 85, and once in 86; both by Coe! Coe should have run the mile 3 seconds faster than this if he'd had more economical pacing.

[5kaisers]

To have three middle distance record breakers in one country at one time was phenomenal. It was a privilege to witness such talent.

[jtadpoll]

Amazing, simply amazing.

[mirijo]

legend.

[markgregamy]

indeed, britain had three legends at the same time, coe cram and ovett, unbelieveable all three of them. coe probably the best of the three, 2 golds at 1500 and 2 silvers at 800 plus lots of world records. Ovett probably rates second but for a brief time in 85 cram would have beaten them all at their best.