Was the Ovett-Coe era manipulated by Andy Norman?

The Perfect Distance · 2012-12-31T23:30:26-05:00

I am reading "The Perfect Distance" now. It gives more insight into Andy. It says, in addition to other things, he manipulated drug test results. It also implies that he was sort of a bully and got his way (I don't know if this is Pat Butcher's bias or if this was true). Anyway, the book goes onto state some more interesting things you may want to read about yourself, such as: Andy Norman removed athletes (like Mike Boit) from Steve Ovett's events whenever Ovett requested it. There was a clear conflict of interest with Andy Norman as he was the best man @ Ovett's wedding and favored certain athletes over others. The book says he's done this sort of thing for other athletes (didn't mention Coe in particular though). The book also says that he did the opposite to a 400m hurdler (Akabusi) whom he disliked. Apparently at his farewell race in England - Norman brought in Kevin Young to pretty much ensure Akabusi would not win the 400m hurdles. And then I remembered back to how meet director Ian Stewart blackballed Nick Symmonds from his meet. Why are English meet directors so cut throat?

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11 years ago 07/04/2014 8:39am EDT

re: Running on Empathy

Running on Empathy wrote:
I've read the book several times. Don't really remember the Mike Boit claim. There was quite a bit of gamesmanship between the Ovett and Coe camps in the run-up to Moscow where one of them would suddenly switch to the other's event, only to have that one change events as well.
Whatever negative things Norman did, one thing he should get alot of credit for is allowing the elite athletes to have made a living doing what they did best.

I have to agree, having lived through the era. Track was very popular. I was an Ovett fan, I had a girlfriend who was in no way a runner and thought I was nuts for training so hard, yet she was a Coe fan and thought Ovett was an arrogant jerk.

The average person knew who the stars were.

11 years ago 07/04/2014 12:15pm EDT

re: sdfasfasdf

sdfasfasdf wrote:
http://www.macsmagazine.com/2012/08/olympic-exclusive-interview-lord-sebastian-coe-gary-newbon/
How can Coe claim he was "joint 7th" (which means last) coming into the straight in the Moscow 800? A race he must know so well. He was 4th just off second. Claims he did well just to get a medal.

As he stated, the 1500 was really a two lap jog followed by an 800 meter race. It can also be said the 800 was a one lap jog followed by an all out 400. The difference was that the 1500 got strung out (which favored Coe) while the 800 remained bunched up on that last lap (which favored Ovett).

Yeah, Coe is overstating the case in the 800. He really wasn't in bad medal position per se, he just didn't have the physical tools to handle being just off the pole in a rough crowd so he stayed outside and thus lost to the *other* great kicker. The only way he wins that race is to take the lead from the start himself and hold it, but his Prague experience prevented him from doing just that.

11 years ago 07/11/2014 9:48am EDT

re: Running on Empathy

coe made two mistakes in that 800 - not making a move at 400, and then not making a more of a move down the back straight. ovett made more mistakes.

if you stop the tape at 700 (20 metres before the straight) he was within 3 metres of ovett. and took a fulll hundred metres to get past an unknown brazillian.

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