Seb Coe, England v USA, 800m, London 1981.

Seb Coe's first international outing of his glorious 81 season. This is a match between England, USA, Ethiopia and Belgium at Crystal Palace on June 3rd 1981. Coe front run from the gun and went through 400m in 51.9 and 600m in 1:18.4, before finishing in a world leading 1:44.06. It was just one week before his incredible world record of 1:41.73. What was perhaps more impressive than the time at the Palace that night, was the ease with which he kicked entering the straight, pulling 15m clear of Garry Cook, and running the last 100m in 12.3! He was to return to the track 90 minutes later to run the last leg in the 4 x 400m relay. recording a 45.6 split after stumbling at the change over.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Sebastian Coe
• 1981
• 800m

[marlin804]

Hey Deeno. Just watched the 2000 Olympic Final and was really impressed. What was Ngeny final 100 or 200m compared to Coe in 84? I think Coe could have beaten anybody that day, but Ngeny had a pretty impressive finish in that race!! Curious to your thoughts....Thanks!!

Coe was a beast in this race btw. Hard to imagine 1:44 at the beginning of the season. This would be a world leading, impressive time today no matter when it was run!!

[deano27671]

@marlin804 Hi! Sorry for delay responding. I think Coe's LA splits for his 3:32.5 compare quite favourably with Ngeny's 3:32.1 in 2000.

Ngeny's lap splits were: 54.6, 60.5, 56.8 & 40.2 (54.1 last 400m);

Coe's were: 59.0, 58.0, 56.3 & 39.2 (53.2 last 400). When looking at the closing stages we find Coe was quicker for almost every split: last 800m, Coe 1:49.8, Ngeny 1:52.7;

last 700, C= 1:35.6, N= 1:37.0, last 400 & 300 given above.

last 200m- C= 25.7, N=26.5. last 100m-C= 12.7, N=12.8

[deano27671]

@deano27671 If we look at their last 8 100m splits they look like this:

Ngeny - 15.7, 14.7, 14.0, 14.2, 13.9, 13.7, 13.7, 12.8;

Coe - 14.3, 14.1, 14.2, 14.1, 14.0, 13.5, 13.0, 12.7.

And don't forget this was Coe's 7th race in 9 days. Ngeny had run 2 races prior to the final in 5 days with 3:38.03 on the 25th, a 3:39.29 on the 27th and then his 3:32.07 winning gold on the 29th.

I think Coe's final run and his seres was superior to what Ngeny did in Sydney.

[runningshoe1]

Most runners would die a death trying to do this gun to tape, and here's Coe belting out a 1:44.0 almost effortlessly. On that kind of form who's to say he wouldn't still be winning Olympic and world titles today?

[deano27671]

@runningshoe1 Undoubtedly! He was actually speeding up in the closing stages here with a last 100m of 12.3, so he had loads left. In this form he would be a match for Rudisha today and head and shoulders above the rest of the current crop of 2 lap runners.

[linglingjr]

I wish professional athletics were still this special

[deano27671]

@bootymanager Yes, I think he was in better form in 81 than 80. His last 100m here was 12.3, and I can't think of any other athlete ever running as fast as that over the last 100m in a 1:44 flat or faster 800m.

I agree he could have run a 3:45 mile that year with better pacing than he got in Brussels, which is actually worth more like 3:28.5 for 1500m using the /1.08 conversion.

[bootymanager]

@deano27671 Wow! I've never seen a bloke run so fast so easily - maybe Kipketer? You could see that he may well have broken the world record with a slightly faster 1st lap. That year Seb seemed to be even better prepared than he was for Moscow. With better pacing, he would likely have run 3.30 and 3.45-46. The 1000m record was about as brilliant as you could imagine (2.12.18 - which, as you know, lasted for 18 years)

[deano27671]

@ARRISIPPY Just uploaded

Ovett, 3:30.77 1500m WR, 1983, Rieti.

the first 300m is missing, but the last 3 laps are all there, and it's pretty good quality.

Hope u like, as I know you're a big Ovett fan.

:0)

[deano27671]

@ARRISIPPY I've just uploaded another 4 x 400m relay featuring Coe four days after this run.

Search for

Coe, 4x 400m June 7th 81, Eng v Sco v Italy

Enjoy