Coe, Sebastian (1956-…), one of the United Kingdom’s outstanding athletes, won fame for his record-breaking triumphs in track events. In 1979, Coe broke the world records for the 800 meters, the 1,500 meters, and the mile races. In the 1980 Olympic Games at Moscow, he won a gold medal in the 1,500 meters and a silver in the 800 meters. During 1981, Coe twice set a world record for the mile. In 1984, he again won a gold medal in the Olympic 1,500 meters, and a silver in the 800 meters.
Sebastian Newbold Coe was born on Sept. 29, 1956, in London. During the 1990’s, he pursued a political career. He served as a member of Parliament from 1992 to 1997, when he became private secretary to the leader of the Conservative Party. In 2000, Coe was made a life peer.
In 2005, Coe led London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. He was named chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 2015, Coe became president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The IAAF was renamed World Athletics in 2019. Coe was reelected as the organization’s president in 2019 and 2023.
