Ovett, Steve (1955-…), one of the United Kingdom’s greatest track athletes, won fame for his record-breaking successes as a runner and his rivalry with another British athlete, Sebastian Coe. Ovett and Coe dominated middle-distance races internationally during the early 1980’s. In the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Ovett won a gold medal in the 800 meters and a bronze in the 1,500 meters, which Coe won. In the same year, Ovett set a world record for the mile in Oslo, Norway, and for the 1,500 meters in Koblenz, West Germany. He set another world record for the 1,500 meters in 1983. During his career, Ovett set six world records.
Steven Michael James Ovett was born on Oct. 9, 1955, in Brighton (now Brighton and Hove). He studied art before taking up athletics full time. In 1970, he won the English Schools Junior Boys 400 meters. In 1973, he won the European junior 800-meters title and also ran his first four-minute mile.
