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Steve Ovett

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Athlete

The Resume

    (October 9, 1955- )
    Born in Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
    Won gold medal in 800 metre race and bronze medal in 1,500 metre race at the 1980 Summer Olympics
    Won gold in the 1,500 metre race at the 1978 European Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia
    Won gold in the 5,000 metre race at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland

Why he might be annoying:

    He quit his dream of becoming a soccer player because wanted to do a sport that did not require the reliance of his teammates.
    He finished fifth in the 800 metre finals race at the 1976 Summer Olympics because he ran the first lap too slowly.
    He also failed to reach the 1,500 m final in those same Summer Olympics because he was obstructed in the semi-final.
    He surprisingly lost the 1,500 metre race in Oslo to American Tom Bryer despite running the last lap nine seconds faster than Bryer.
    Following the race, he commented, 'We ran like a load of hacks.'
    Injuries such as a twisted knee hampered his career in later years.
    Respiratory problems prevented him from taking home a medal in either the 800 or 1500 metre races at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
    He is divorced.

Why he might not be annoying:

    At the first ever IAAF World Cup in Athletics in 1977, he won the 1,500 race with a 'kick' that left the rest of the field behind.
    His rivalries with Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram were fun to watch.
    Early in July 1980, he had established a new mile world record of 3:48.8 and two weeks later equaled Coe's world record of 3:32.1 in the 1500 m.
    Ovett and Coe exchanged world records in the mile three times during a 10-day period.
    He earned an Order of the British Empire (OBE).
    He later became a track and field commentator for CBC.

Credit: Birdienest81


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 12 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 9 Votes: 11.11% Annoying