[quote]Card counter wrote:
So Coe's 2.12,18(sealevel) is slightly better than
Ngeny's (Rieti) 2.11,96. Am I right?[quote]
I would say Coe's record is superior for 2 reasons.
1) The Rieti track in the late 90's is almost certainly a better one (thus faster) than the old Oslo one from 1981. Certainly by 1985, the Oslo track had been changed and upgraded, though can't remember which year, I think it was between the 84 and 85 meets.
2) Ngeny had pace up to about 750m, a further 150m more than Coe. He also had a couple of guys close behind up to 800m. The drafting effect alone would have given Ngeny about 0.38 advantage (if the 1.0 sec per 400m for drafting is correct).
Ngeny also had a few attempts to get close to Coe's record. I don't think Coe had the best build up to his run in Oslo. He had solo run a 3:31 in Stockholm 3 days previous off a 52 first lap and 1:49 at 800m. He also developed a large blister on the ball of his foot during that race. When asked post race if he was going to go for a WR in Oslo later that week; where he was down to run an 800m if I remember correctly; he basically said, "No chance".
He then tried to switch to the Dream Mile and run against Ovett, but Ovett, via Andy Norman, wouldn't allow him in the race. All this is according to Pat Butcher in his book, "The Perfect Distance".
He therefore got a 1000m put in at the last minute. During the race the blister burst, and his father said but for that and the Stockholm race, it would have been faster.
Having said all this, I think Ngeny was a bit too fast over the first 400m in his record, so it's swings and roundabouts.