biography
| name: |
Coe (of Ranmore), Sebastian (Newbold) Coe, Lord
|
pronunciation:
[koh]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1956– )
|
| biography:
| Athlete, born in London, UK, the world's outstanding middle-distance runner of the 1980s. He studied at Loughborough College, won the bronze medal in the 800 m at the 1978 European Championships, and the following year broke his first world records (800 m and 1 mi). Altogether he broke eight world records including the mile three times; uniquely, he held the 800 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, and mile records simultaneously. At the 1980 Olympics he won the gold medal in the 1500 m and the silver in the 800 m, repeating the achievement four years later despite a career-threatening infection. Fitness problems followed, and he was omitted from the British team that went to the 1988 Olympics. He retired from running after the 1990 Commonwealth Games to pursue a career in politics, becoming a Conservative MP in 1992, but lost his seat in the 1997 general election. In 2000 he was given a life peerage. |
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