In the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Ovett and Coe won each other's speciality ; Ovett the 800 metres, and Coe the 1500 metres ( Coe came in second in the 800 after running what he described as " the worst tactical race of my life ", while Ovett took third in the 1500 ).

Neither won, nor did either win in their first major encounter in the European Championships Prague in 1978 in an 800 metre race, where Ovett ( breaking Coe's UK record with a run of 1: 44. 09 ) was second and Coe finished third behind the East German Olaf Beyer.

In 1980 Coe broke Rick Wohlhuter's world record for 1, 000-metres with a time of 2: 13. 40 and held all four middle distance world records simultaneously, the 800m, 1000m, 1500m and the mile, for one hour until Ovett broke his mile record, another unique feat.

Earlier that month, he had established a new mile world record of 3: 48. 8 and two weeks later equalled Sebastian Coe's world record of 3: 32. 1 in the 1500 m. The Moscow Olympics marked only the second time that Ovett and Coe had met each other in international competition ( the first being the 800 m in the 1978 European Championships ) and there was huge media speculation over which would emerge as the greater.

Though in 1980 Ovett had tied Coe's 1500 m world record of 3: 32. 1, new timing rules would come into effect in 1981, which would recognise records over 400 m to the hundredth of a second.

However, Ovett avoided this unusual removal of a record via rule change by setting a new record later in 1980 of 3: 31. 36.

In 1980, the world mile record was set in this race by Steve Ovett, and in 1985 Steve Cram also set a new world mile record.

In 1980, Hudak temporarily became the third-fastest 1500 m runner of all time when he set a personal best of 3: 31. 96 minutes at a meeting in Koblenz where Steve Ovett set a new world record and Thomas Wessinghage set a new German record.

Sebastian Coe had broken the record of Steve Ovett with 3: 48. 53 in Zurich on August 19.

As Ovett raced away from the field, Ron Pickering, commenting for the race on BBC Television, said " and there's one man's blazing speed, that has torn this field asunder ".

At the time the British press reported that Coe and Ovett had clashed after the race but Coe later revealed: " When Steve came over, he put his hand on my shoulder and said something.

In that race, Ovett waved to the crowd on the home straight and clearly slowed down in the last metres and still won by a second from Ireland's Eamonn Coghlan.

More specifically, Ovett ran behind Coe's shoulder for quite a long time, but on the final bend he fell two metres behind Coe and failed to close the gap in the home straight.

During the Moscow Games, the British press zoned in on a signal Ovett had made to a TV camera in Moscow after his 800m win.

Running greats such as Hicham El Guerrouj, Steve Ovett, Cathy Freeman, and Sonia O ' Sullivan have all rubbed shoulders with the general public on The Tan.

Born in Brighton, Sussex, and educated at Varndean School, Ovett was a talented teenage athlete.

The British public by now showed a keen interest in Ovett, and it was at the European Championships in 1978, that he raced against Sebastian Coe for the first time in their senior careers, beginning a rivalry that would become newsworthy.

The 1978 season for Ovett was notable for the superb times recorded at disparate distances.

During his career, Ovett was noted for the unusual range and timing of his races ; shortly before the 1980 Olympics in 10 days he ran four events of four different lengths: a mile in Oslo, 800 metres in Gothenburg, 600m at Crystal Palace and 3, 000m in Welwyn Garden City.

Ovett arrived at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as favourite to take the 1500 m title, unbeaten over the 1500 m and mile for three years.

Ovett's participation in the 800 m would serve as a test for the 1500 m. In the 800 m final, Ovett was only in sixth place at the halfway mark, but pushed his way through the crowd to second place.

During 1981, both Ovett and Coe were at their peak.

Against the advice of his friends and doctors he returned to compete in the 1500 m. Running in fourth place at the beginning of the last lap of the final, Ovett dropped out.

This later led to a rift between Ovett and his parents, in particular his mother, who had remained a key figure in his career and had carefully managed the media's requests for his time ( Ovett was still living at home ).

Steve's brother, Nicholas Ovett, represented Great Britain at luge in the Winter Olympics of 1988 and 1992.

The 1500 metres at the Bislett Games in 1981 became part of track folklore when star athletes including Steve Ovett chose not to follow pacemaker Tom Byers but race among themselves.

Races between British rivals Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram characterised middle distance running in 1980s.

Coe's rivalries with fellow Britons Steve Ovett and Steve Cram dominated middle-distance racing for much of the 1980s.

He first ran against his great rival Steve Ovett in a schools cross country race in 1972.

Stephen Michael James " Steve " Ovett OBE ( born 9 October 1955 ), is a former middle distance runner from England.

Ovett gained some Olympic experience in 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada when he ran in the final of the 800m and was placed fifth, behind winner Alberto Juantorena of Cuba.

Ovett finished fifth because he ran the first lap too slowly.

" Ovett recovered to win the gold medal in the 1500m, in which Coe did not participate.

In the 1500 m, contested six days later, Coe won and Ovett had to settle for third place.

With Ovett and Coe so dominant and Coe not involved in the race, Ovett was hot favourite.

Ovett ran the last lap almost nine seconds quicker than Byers but finished second by 0. 53s, later commenting " We ran like a load of hacks.

In 1987 a bronze statue of Steve Ovett was erected in Preston Park, Brighton.

* Steve Ovett, a former middle distance runner from England

There have been many stories of metal theft ; a bronze statue of former Olympic champion Steve Ovett disappeared from Preston Park in Brighton and church bells in Devon were stolen by thieves.

* Steve Ovett

* Steve Ovett

* Steve Ovett — Athletics, Men's 800 metres

* Steve Ovett — Athletics, Men's 1500 metres

* Steve Ovett

* Steve Ovett

* Show 4-Jessica Martin, Steve Ovett, Jack Tinker, Annabel Giles