Josh Birnbaum wrote:
Coevett wrote:
What's your point? At least Ovett didn't duck Coe over 1500 and even ran in the final at LA when he should have been in his hospital bed. Compare with Aouita's decision making for LA.
Ovett had 3 global events in his prime - Moscow 80, Helsinki 83, LA 84. Helsinki he was coming back from two years of injury and would likely still have won if he hadn't gotten so badly blocked. LA we all know what happened. Some people think that was the most incredible display by a British athlete in Olympic history, to make two finals when he was being advised by doctors to stay in hospital.
Ovett won the World Cup in 77, 79, and 81 when it was pretty much the World Championships without rounds.
Aouita had 83 Helsinki, 84 LA, 87 Rome and 88 Seoul. In 84 and 87 he ducked the Brits, lost in Helsinki when he had the fastest time of the season going in to the event, and in 88 couldn't even make the final.
Ovett did avoid Coe (and vice versa) on the circuit though.
Purposely entering races, then Coe withdraws, and Ovett ends up not even racing.
Coe and Ovett avoided each other many times, instead focused on WRs and wins. Hence they only raced 7 times in their whole career.
That's very true of course, but at least they didn't duck each other when it really mattered - at Olympic Games. They did also sign up to race each other I think 3 times in 1982, but obviously Ovett got injured and Coe was unhealthy too. If both had been healthy they would certainly have raced against each other at least 5 times in 82 (not including semi-finals, and not including the Commonwealth Games).