Athlete, born in Brighton, East Sussex, SE England, UK. Gold medallist in the 800 m at the 1980 Olympics, he also won a bronze in the 1500 m. He broke the world record at 1500 m (three times), at one mile (twice) and at two miles. In 1986 he won the Commonwealth Games title at 5000 m. An outspoken and sometimes controversial figure, he occasionally upset the press, but remained generally popular with his fellow athletes and the spectators. As his competitive career faded he began a new role as a television commentator.
| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | |||
| Men's Athletics | |||
| Gold | 1980 Moscow | 800 m | |
| Bronze | 1980 Moscow | 1500 m | |
| European Championships | |||
| Gold | 1973 | 800 m | |
| Silver | 1974 Rome | 800 m | |
| Silver | 1978 Prague | 800 m | |
| Gold | 1978 Prague | 1,500 m | |
Stephen Michael James ("Steve") Ovett (born October 9, 1955), is an English middle distance runner and gold medalist in the 800 m at the 1980 Olympics.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 400 m | 47.5 | 1974 |
| 800 m | 1:44.09 | 1978 |
| 1000 m | 2:16.0 | 1979 |
| 1500 m | 3:30.77 | 1983 |
| Mile | 3:48.40 | 1980 |
| 2000 m | 4:57.71 | 1982 |
| 3000 m | 7:41.3 | 1977 |
| 5000 m | 13:20.06 | 1986 |
|
Preceded by: Virginia Wade |
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1978 |
Succeeded by: Sebastian Coe |
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