Sebastian Coe, born 29 September 1956, was a one in a million talent. A winner of four Olympic medals, he also set eight outdoor and three indoor world records. He was the first man to ever break 1:42 for 800m and is without doubt one of the best middle distance runners to ever live.

Here we take a look back over Coe's career and rank his five top performances of all time.

Number 5: Golden Mile (3:48.95) Brussels 1981 - World Record

"The nine inches right here; set it straight and you can beat anybody in the world" - Seb Coe (as he said this Coe held his fingers up to his head).

1981 saw Coe break the mile world record twice, first with a 3:48.53 in Zürich and then with a 3:47.33 in Brussels (his lap splits were 55.3, 58.0, 58.6, 55.4). 1981 also saw Coe run a PB of 3:31.95 in the 1,500 meters in a fascinating race in which his splits were 51.5 through the 400m and 1:47.4! for the first 800m (fastest ever recorded split). However, the fact that his efforts over the mile produced consecutive world records, in an era when mile running was more in favour, must place this blistering race as one of his best.

Number 4: 1500 metre World Record (3:32.03) Zurich, 1979

"World records are only borrowed" - Seb Coe

In 1979 Seb Coe set the sporting world alight with three world records in the space of just 41 days (800m: 1:42.33, mile: 3:48.95, 1500m: 3:32.03). 1979 was a mesmerising year from Coe. He was voted athlete of the year by Athletics Weekly and Track and Field News and he was ranked number one in the world for both the 800m and the 1500m, a feat he repeated in 1981 (Coe is the only athlete ever to be ranked No. 1 for 800m and 1500m in the same calendar year). This world record sounded a special note for Coe, as it broke Filbert Bayi's record which had stood for five years.

Number 3: 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Gold 1500m

"On the day there was only one man and on the day Seb Coe was that man" - Steve Cram after losing by seven metres to Coe in the 1984 Olympic 1500m final

Coe's victory in the 1984 Olympic 1500m was extra sweet for two reasons. Firstly, he became the first person ever to win back to back Olympic 1500m crowns, and secondly, from July 1983 until January 1984 Coe suffered from Toxoplasmosis, which severely hindered his preparation.

At the Games, Coe again came second in the 800m, this time to Joaquim Cruz of Brazil. However, Coe once again recovered to win gold in the 1500 metres, this time in a new Olympic record of 3:32.53 . The splits for Coe's final two laps of this race were amazing; his last 800m was 1:49.8, his last lap was 53.2, and his final 100m was 12.7 seconds.

Number 2: 800m World Record; 1:41:73, Florence Italy, June 1981,

1981 was an amazing year for Coe. In what many consider to be Coe's best ever performance, his world record 800m on June 10th in Florence of 1:41.73 stood until Wilson Kipketer broke it in August, 1997. Interestingly, as of 2009, Kipketer is still the only man to ever run faster than Coe over 800 metres. Shortly after this 800m world record, Coe also took ownership of the world 1000m record clocking a 2:12.18, this particular record stood for a whopping 18 years.

Number 1: Moscow Olympics 1980 1500m Gold

"Tomorrow is another day, and there will be another battle" - Seb Coe a few minutes after placing second to Steve Ovett in the 1980 Olympic 800m final in Moscow.

It's hard to go past this famed race. The story is well known: Coe was favourite for the 800m, in which he lost to Ovett, only to strike back to win the 1500m crown, beating Ovett, who at that stage was considered pretty much unbeatable over the 1500m/mile distance. Given the tremendous pressure he was under and the recovery from what must have been a huge psychological blow in losing the 800m, this race must be Coe's most memorable of all.

© 2008 The Runner's Tribe, all rights reserved.

Rewind to 1991, a lifetime ago. For an 18 year old from Mozambique, mature beyond her years, it marked the beginning of the road. 17 years have gone by, not a short time for an athlete of any sport to spend at the top of their event, but a complete eternity for a middle distance runner (especially when considering the number of accolades jammed into the years). Olympic gold, three outdoor world championship golds, seven indoor world championship golds and countless golden league victores. Not too shabby. So we take a look back over the career of one of the greatest 800m runners to ever live, Maria Mutola.

The Maputo Express

Maria Mutola was born in 1972 in Maputo City, Mozambique. Her sporting prowess kicked off as a soccer player before a well renown Mozambican poet named Jose Carvelinha convinced her to switch from soccer to athletics, a move which led to her competing in her first Olympics in Seoul, 1986, aged just 14 years.

 

 

 

1st IAAF World Athletics Final

Mutola then received a bursary from the Olympic Solidarity Committee to attend school and train in the United States, at Eugene, Oregon. It was in Eugene that Mutola developed into a world-beating runner and built an American fan base that came to love her for her caring and gentle nature, aided by her winning Eugene's Prefontaine Classic a massive 16 times!

Prefontaine Classic 2008

International Athlete

1991 marked the year Mutola was baptized into the world of international middle distance running. She finished 4th at the world championship 800m (as a 19 year old). 1993 was Mutola's breakthrough year: she won the Stuttgart World Championships in 1:55.43. The following year was her fastest ever, with a 1:55.19 at the Zurich Golden League, a race she has won 12 years in succession.

If 1993 was Mutola's breakthough year and 1994 was her fastest, 2000 was definitely her most rewarding. The reason for this is, of course, her Olympic gold medal in Sydney. Just as she battled fiercely with Cuban Ana Quirot during the mid-1990s, she beat her two main competitors in the Sydney final, Stephanie Graf and Kelly Holmes. The victory was a sporting highlight for the nation of Mozambique, and without a doubt her greatest moment.

Sydney 2000 Olympic Gold

Farewell

"It was time for me to come to a decision about this. One must be realistic in life. My form is not bad, but I'll admit that I'm far from my best performances now. Now it is time for me to support the efforts of the young runners" - Maria Mutola speaking about her retirement. (Source - Sunday Independent)

At 35, it is without doubt the right time for Mutola to hang up her spikes. 2008 has seen the emergence of a Kenyan teenager by the name of Pamela Jelimo who looks set to be as equally dominating as Mutola. However, no matter how brilliant Jelimo or any other upcoming 800m runners may be, they have a tough task in topping the longevity that Mutola achieved. To many, Mutola will go down as being the greatest female 800m star ever. It's hard to argue with.

Mutola's Accolades

Olympics

Gold (2000)
Bronze (1996)
1988 (run out in heats)
1992 (5th)
2004 (4th)
2008 (5th)
 

World championships

Gold 1993, 2001, 2003
Silver (1999)
Bronze (1997
 

World indoors

Gold (1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Bronze (2008)
 

Commonwealth Games

Gold (1998, 2002)
Bronze (2006)
 

Other accolades

- Zurich Golden League: Won 12 times in succession from 1993 onwards (Source - Sunday Independent)
- 50 successive wins in 800m finals from 1992-96 (excluding one world championship semifinal when she was disqualified for stepping out of her lane) (Source - Sunday Independent)
- She broke 2 minutes for 800m, 200 times
- Enjoyed 39 successive 800m wins from 2002-04 (Source - Sunday Independent)
- Winner of the $1-million Golden League jackpot in 2003 - (SourceSapa-AFP)
 

Visit Maria Mutola's foundation

Video Interview after final race of career in Zurich

"Before Abebe Bikila, there were no runners in Africa, or at least no runners that the world knew about." - Haile Gebrselassie

If there was just one person who has influenced the distance running world the most, it would have to be the great Ethiopian, Abebe Bikila. Bikila was the catalyst who showed the whole of Africa that it was possible to be a world beating runner.

Who was Abebe Bikila?

Abebe Bikila was born on August 7, 1932, (the day of the Los Angeles Olympic Marathon). He was born in a small village called Jato in Ethiopia, his father was a shepherd. Bikila spent a number of years with the Imperial Guard before his breakthrough at age 24 when he raced in the National Armed Forces Championship Marathon, beating the then current hero of Ethiopia, Wami Biratu.

Rome Olympics, 1960

"I wanted the world to know that my country, Ethiopia, has always won with determination and heroism" - Abebe Bikila after his Rome Olympic marathon victory

Bikila's victory at the Rome Olympics marathon was perhaps one of the most important victories in the history of world athletics. He won the race in a new world record time of 2:15:16.2, becoming the first African to win an Olympic medal. What's more, he won it running barefooted because the Adidas team shoes hurt his feet. Bikila ran a tough race neck and neck with Rhadi Ben Abdesselam of Morocco outkicking him over the final 500 metres (in which he put 26 seconds on Rhadi).

1960 and 1964 Olympic Victories (Courtesy of the IOC)

Bikila was, deservedly so, a hero throughout Ethiopia. A famous saying during the times was
"it took a million Italians to invade Ethiopia but only one Ethiopian soldier to conquer Rome", a saying with a bit of substance considering the history between the two nations.

Interestingly, shortly after Rome, a coup against the Emperor Haile Selassie, was organised, and Bikila was pressured into taking part. Bikila was however against the concept of killing dignitaries and was fortunately pardoned when the coup failed and most of those involved were hung.

Tokyo Olympics, 1964

In Tokyo in 1964 Bikila became the first person to win back to back marathon gold medals. Amazingly, Bikila was diagnosed with an acute appendicitis six weeks prior to the marathon and needed prompt surgery. His training for the marathon was therefore hindered significantly.

His plan for the race was to sit with the leaders for the first 20 kilometers before increasing the pace. The tactic worked, he ended up winning by four minutes and eight seconds from Basil Heatley of Great Britain. His time of 2:12:11 was another world record. This time round, he wore shoes provided by Asics.

1964 Olympic Victory, World Record

Two Time World Champ

Bikila also won two world championship marathons, one in 1960, and the other in 1962. He raced a total of 26 major marathons throughout his career. Unfortunately he didn't finish the 1968 Mexico City Olympic marathon, pulling out at the 15 km mark due to a pre-existing medical condition.

Tragedy

"Men of success meet with tragedy. It was the will of God that I won the Olympics, and it was the will of God that I met with my accident. I accepted those victories as I accept this tragedy. I have to accept both circumstances as facts of life and live happily." - Abebe Bikila

Sadly, in 1968, Bikila was involved in a car accident approximately 90 km from Addis Ababa. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Abebe Bikila's full and rich life came to an end in October, 1973, due to a fatal cerebral hemorrhage, a complication related to the car accident in 1968. He was outlived by his wife and four children. The then emperor of Ethiopia, Atse Haile Selassie, attended his funeral in Addis Ababa along with another 75,000 people. He was buried at St. Joseph's church, Addis Ababa.