Alf Shrubb. wrote:
wellnow wrote:Not true, Coe got a Silver and a Gold in Moscow, Ovett a Gold and a Bronze.
Quite - Jurgen Straub of all people, actually beat Ovett in the 1500 final.
In fact, it was Straub’s tactics in that race that handed the gold medal to Coe on a plate.
Despite losing the 800m, Coe was still the faster finisher in that race. His last 200m was 24.9 (compared to Ovett's 25.0) and that was running wide in lane 2 for almost all that last bend.
As for Straub handing Coe the gold on a plate, I think that's conjecture. Certainly his sustained run from 700m out, was welcomed by Coe, as he was better off a sustained drive than Ovett, but I feel Coe would have won whatever that day. Straight from the start he was on the leader's shoulder and would have covered a break by anyone. He was clearly in a different frame of mind to the runner that lined up for the 800m, and he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice in a week!
Then he outkicked Ovett with 100m to go despite them being almost level at the beginning of the straight. Coe's final 12.1 hasn't been matched in a major championships since, and was too good for Ovett's 12.7 - the same time he ran for the last 100m in the 800m, interestingly.
So yes, Coe was a better athlete in Moscow, because he won gold and silver and was faster over the last 200m than Ovett in both races.