Incredible acceleration down the home straight. Modern 800m races are generally run consistently more quickly than in the 80s, but don't quite have the thrill of those 800s where Coe, Cram and Ovett could just toy with a field at their bests.
Glad you enjoyed it. Was it you that asked me years ago if I would upload it!? Someone did but I couldn’t find which other RUclips video it was on. I agree with you about him being unparalleled in his ability to do that in the last 100m. Never saw Rudisha or Kipketer do that in such emphatic fashion over such a short space in the last 100m.
@@deano27671Hey Deano, no it wasn't me, but I did see the video where someone asked you to upload this and so I simply did a RUclips search and here I am. The bloke who asked was called Charles Thorndike on your 800 metre European Cup final video in 1981.
i have no doubt that this is by far the fastest ever finish in an 800m race, i believe that the last 100m was covered in 11, 1 seconds the fastest EVER , coe that year in 1981 also coverded the last 100m in 11. 3 and 11. 4 as far as i know none of these times have ever been bettered
@@aperson2730 i met coe twice once at crystal palace in 1984 and another time in 1988 where he was watching a minor athletics match both times i chatted to him and got his autograph
@@Andrew-m5p4s The finishing times were not fast - but they produced exceptionally fast finishes and were much closer to Coe and Ovett than one would expect. Kirov certainly never produced this quality of performance again and I think Straub more or less retired. Both only ran 1 historically noteworthy race in their careers - both in Moscow.
@@Andrew-m5p4s Yes all the same he did run above what one would have expected that day. Better runners like Steve Scott and Wessinhage could not beat Ovett let alone get within 2 metres of Coe at his best.
Thank you for posting Deano, at last this race is on RUclips! As for the last 100m, the mark is the kind of tube of approx 50cm height and Coe reaches it at 1:35.3 on the screen, 1:35.7 real time. That's 11.9 for the last 100m which is still the fastest last 100m ever recorded. The closest were Kszczot and Tuka 12.0 in Beijing WC 2015 (1:46.08 and 1:46.30), and Pawel Czapiewski 12.05 (time by DLV biomec team) for 1:48.28 at 2001 European Cup. Please do you have Bern 1989 and Koblenz 1988, where Coe did 1:43s, I haven't see them yet, any help would be grately appreciated!
You’re welcome. I have never seen the Berne 800m in 89, not sure about the other one; I will look. Re the last 100m, yes I know where the pole is for 100m from home. If you look at the onscreen clock throughout the race, pausing it in different places, you will notice that sometimes the clock goes up in tenths (0.1) and sometimes it misses out some tenths and goes up in 0.2s. There is also a time delay on the onscreen clock. From my perspective Coe is level with the pole when the clock is already showing 1:35.6, and has he passes the line it jumps to 1:35.8. When Coe’s torso crosses the line, the clock shows 1:47.2, before ticking on to 1:47.6 (nearest tenths shown rather than official hundredths time later given in result). So, we either use the paused split times on the screen or we add 0.4 (residual time delay) to both times. Although not shown, I would suggest the onscreen clock is at 1:35.7 at 700m, and at 1:47.2 at 800m/finish line. Whether or not ‘official’ splits were given (I doubt it as they just didn’t do that in those days, relying on commentator/statisticians to time it themselves, or, of course, pausing the screen and working out for oneself), his 700m should have been 1:36.1, and his finish time was 1:47.57. So it looks more like an 11.5 last 100m, but certainly faster than 11.9. He ran that (11.9) in the last 100m in the 1979 European Cup final (24.1 last 200m - running most of bend wide), where he eased up and waved his hands a good 20m from the finish. This race in Helsinki 81 was definitely a faster last 100m than the final from Turin, although the last 200m was not as fast. The 11.3 was quoted in the press at the time, David Miller from The Times, quoted/wrote it, although I imagine it would have been someone’s hand timing of that last 100m. There was a similar situation with Ovett at the 77 World Cup 1500m, where he was (and often still is) quoted as having run the penultimate (on the bend) 100m in 11.8. Again, I seem to recall that this was the time that his coach (Harry Wilson) took from inside the stadium. I’ve analysed this race many times, and there are similar poles in that race at 1300 and 1400, and using the onscreen clock, the split is 12.0 in my opinion. So, Coe’s 11.3 split was probably a hand timed split from a coach or commentator, but it was definitely published, not created by me. Analysis of the recording and the clock points to it being nearer 11.5/11.6, but definitely faster than 11.9! Cheers.
@@deano27671 at 1:35.8 screen clock there is no line on the track. Check other videos of Helsinki meets in order to find years where the end zone of 4x100m was well painted on the track, unfortunately it’s not visible in that 1981 meet, but you can find some as early as 1971 European champs, so from those either races from other years whichI’m sure you have on video, we can estimate that Coe is on that end relay zone line at 1:36.5 (the screen clock jumps from 1:36.4 to 1:36.6), and that’s 10.7 for last 90m which is equal to 11.9 for 100m which is the time from the mark I told you in my previous post to the finish line. Lots of coach/journo hand time reports for so many races from the 1960-70-80s but todays video tools are far more accurate. Enjoying you channel and please keep posting gems!
@@pjvazel7089 I know there are no lines on the track, it is too bleached out. I was using the pole on the inside, which I've seen in the same place on other videos of races from Helsinki around this time. The slight confusion is that there are 2 poles, a slightly taller one about 2m after the smaller, striped one. From the front it is hard to differentiate between the two. If you look at the 10k final from 71, you'll see that Vaatainen is beside the 100m pole at 27:39.3. ruclips.net/video/Sfm_lTSOjhI/видео.html The only really visible marker (with no lines visible in the Coe race) is the start of the sandpit on the inside of the track. He is level with this at 27:41.0 (ruclips.net/video/Sfm_lTSOjhI/видео.html So he takes 1.7secs to cover this gap. His final 100m is 13.4. If we divide 13.4 by 1.7 we get 7.88. In Coe's race he is level with the sand pit at 1:36.9 ruclips.net/video/vRxr5BCoDk8/видео.html If we take your suggestion that his last 100m is 11.9, and divide that by 7.88, we get 1.5. So Coe would cover that same didtance in at least 1.5 secs, 0.2 secs faster than someone running at 13.4sec speed. If we subtract 1.5 from 1:36.9, then we get 1:35.4. I would maintain though that Coe is level with the first, smaller pole (the 100m one) at 1:35.5. ruclips.net/video/vRxr5BCoDk8/видео.html Remember the line is not perpendicular with the lane's lines, but at an angle of about 45 degrees from the inside lane. That would give him a last 100m of 11.7 - 11.8. He ran 11.9 for the last 100m in the previous edition of the Europa Cup semi in 79, when he eased up and waved a bit at the end, in a slightly faster race than this. This looks faster too. ruclips.net/video/Y3POxQG_K70/видео.html
Sometimes I look at it and it looks like 1:35.3 and other times it is 1:35.5, so it is probably more likely to be 1:35.4. When I time it with a stop watch I get 11.7 or 11.8!
I have never seen the Bern 1:43.38 in 89, but I might have the last part of the Koblenz race. I will look this week. I have adjusted the split times in my intro/video description, based on your observations. It was claimed his last 100m was 11.3 at the time, and that was perhaps a hand held split. I think it was more like 11.7, as he is still in line with the first small pole at 1:35.5, and crosses the line in 1:47.2. Thanks
Incredible acceleration down the home straight. Modern 800m races are generally run consistently more quickly than in the 80s, but don't quite have the thrill of those 800s where Coe, Cram and Ovett could just toy with a field at their bests.
Nice one! Shows his fluidity of movement really well!
Thanks for uploading this Deano. Coe was a freak of nature. No-one has ever done this to a field before or since!
Glad you enjoyed it. Was it you that asked me years ago if I would upload it!? Someone did but I couldn’t find which other RUclips video it was on. I agree with you about him being unparalleled in his ability to do that in the last 100m. Never saw Rudisha or Kipketer do that in such emphatic fashion over such a short space in the last 100m.
@@deano27671Hey Deano, no it wasn't me, but I did see the video where someone asked you to upload this and so I simply did a RUclips search and here I am. The bloke who asked was called Charles Thorndike on your 800 metre European Cup final video in 1981.
i have no doubt that this is by far the fastest ever finish in an 800m race, i believe that the last 100m was covered in 11, 1 seconds the fastest EVER , coe that year in 1981 also coverded the last 100m in 11. 3 and 11. 4 as far as i know none of these times have ever been bettered
Guy was a legend.
I actually saw him in Central London 2 weeks ago purely by chance.
@@aperson2730 i met coe twice once at crystal palace in 1984 and another time in 1988 where he was watching a minor athletics match both times i chatted to him and got his autograph
A sublime finish.
Coe was something else
Coe made much easier work of Kirov here than in Moscow. How do you account for Straub and Kirov both running out of their skins in Moscow?
They didn't; they both ran times which were slow even for them
@@Andrew-m5p4s The finishing times were not fast - but they produced exceptionally fast finishes and were much closer to Coe and Ovett than one would expect. Kirov certainly never produced this quality of performance again and I think Straub more or less retired. Both only ran 1 historically noteworthy race in their careers - both in Moscow.
@@LPCLASSICAL straub was a 3.34 1500m runner and didn't do the 800m so he was capable of being dangerous.
@@Andrew-m5p4s Yes all the same he did run above what one would have expected that day. Better runners like Steve Scott and Wessinhage could not beat Ovett let alone get within 2 metres of Coe at his best.
@@LPCLASSICAL no but they weren't fit at the Moscow olympics.scott has run a faster Mile than ovett
Thank you for posting Deano, at last this race is on RUclips! As for the last 100m, the mark is the kind of tube of approx 50cm height and Coe reaches it at 1:35.3 on the screen, 1:35.7 real time. That's 11.9 for the last 100m which is still the fastest last 100m ever recorded. The closest were Kszczot and Tuka 12.0 in Beijing WC 2015 (1:46.08 and 1:46.30), and Pawel Czapiewski 12.05 (time by DLV biomec team) for 1:48.28 at 2001 European Cup. Please do you have Bern 1989 and Koblenz 1988, where Coe did 1:43s, I haven't see them yet, any help would be grately appreciated!
You’re welcome. I have never seen the Berne 800m in 89, not sure about the other one; I will look.
Re the last 100m, yes I know where the pole is for 100m from home. If you look at the onscreen clock throughout the race, pausing it in different places, you will notice that sometimes the clock goes up in tenths (0.1) and sometimes it misses out some tenths and goes up in 0.2s. There is also a time delay on the onscreen clock. From my perspective Coe is level with the pole when the clock is already showing 1:35.6, and has he passes the line it jumps to 1:35.8. When Coe’s torso crosses the line, the clock shows 1:47.2, before ticking on to 1:47.6 (nearest tenths shown rather than official hundredths time later given in result). So, we either use the paused split times on the screen or we add 0.4 (residual time delay) to both times. Although not shown, I would suggest the onscreen clock is at 1:35.7 at 700m, and at 1:47.2 at 800m/finish line. Whether or not ‘official’ splits were given (I doubt it as they just didn’t do that in those days, relying on commentator/statisticians to time it themselves, or, of course, pausing the screen and working out for oneself), his 700m should have been 1:36.1, and his finish time was 1:47.57. So it looks more like an 11.5 last 100m, but certainly faster than 11.9. He ran that (11.9) in the last 100m in the 1979 European Cup final (24.1 last 200m - running most of bend wide), where he eased up and waved his hands a good 20m from the finish. This race in Helsinki 81 was definitely a faster last 100m than the final from Turin, although the last 200m was not as fast.
The 11.3 was quoted in the press at the time, David Miller from The Times, quoted/wrote it, although I imagine it would have been someone’s hand timing of that last 100m. There was a similar situation with Ovett at the 77 World Cup 1500m, where he was (and often still is) quoted as having run the penultimate (on the bend) 100m in 11.8. Again, I seem to recall that this was the time that his coach (Harry Wilson) took from inside the stadium. I’ve analysed this race many times, and there are similar poles in that race at 1300 and 1400, and using the onscreen clock, the split is 12.0 in my opinion.
So, Coe’s 11.3 split was probably a hand timed split from a coach or commentator, but it was definitely published, not created by me. Analysis of the recording and the clock points to it being nearer 11.5/11.6, but definitely faster than 11.9! Cheers.
@@deano27671 at 1:35.8 screen clock there is no line on the track. Check other videos of Helsinki meets in order to find years where the end zone of 4x100m was well painted on the track, unfortunately it’s not visible in that 1981 meet, but you can find some as early as 1971 European champs, so from those either races from other years whichI’m sure you have on video, we can estimate that Coe is on that end relay zone line at 1:36.5 (the screen clock jumps from 1:36.4 to 1:36.6), and that’s 10.7 for last 90m which is equal to 11.9 for 100m which is the time from the mark I told you in my previous post to the finish line. Lots of coach/journo hand time reports for so many races from the 1960-70-80s but todays video tools are far more accurate. Enjoying you channel and please keep posting gems!
@@pjvazel7089 I know there are no lines on the track, it is too bleached out. I was using the pole on the inside, which I've seen in the same place on other videos of races from Helsinki around this time. The slight confusion is that there are 2 poles, a slightly taller one about 2m after the smaller, striped one. From the front it is hard to differentiate between the two.
If you look at the 10k final from 71, you'll see that Vaatainen is beside the 100m pole at 27:39.3. ruclips.net/video/Sfm_lTSOjhI/видео.html
The only really visible marker (with no lines visible in the Coe race) is the start of the sandpit on the inside of the track. He is level with this at 27:41.0 (ruclips.net/video/Sfm_lTSOjhI/видео.html
So he takes 1.7secs to cover this gap. His final 100m is 13.4. If we divide 13.4 by 1.7 we get 7.88. In Coe's race he is level with the sand pit at 1:36.9 ruclips.net/video/vRxr5BCoDk8/видео.html If we take your suggestion that his last 100m is 11.9, and divide that by 7.88, we get 1.5. So Coe would cover that same didtance in at least 1.5 secs, 0.2 secs faster than someone running at 13.4sec speed. If we subtract 1.5 from 1:36.9, then we get 1:35.4. I would maintain though that Coe is level with the first, smaller pole (the 100m one) at 1:35.5. ruclips.net/video/vRxr5BCoDk8/видео.html
Remember the line is not perpendicular with the lane's lines, but at an angle of about 45 degrees from the inside lane. That would give him a last 100m of 11.7 - 11.8.
He ran 11.9 for the last 100m in the previous edition of the Europa Cup semi in 79, when he eased up and waved a bit at the end, in a slightly faster race than this. This looks faster too.
ruclips.net/video/Y3POxQG_K70/видео.html
Sometimes I look at it and it looks like 1:35.3 and other times it is 1:35.5, so it is probably more likely to be 1:35.4. When I time it with a stop watch I get 11.7 or 11.8!
I have never seen the Bern 1:43.38 in 89, but I might have the last part of the Koblenz race. I will look this week. I have adjusted the split times in my intro/video description, based on your observations. It was claimed his last 100m was 11.3 at the time, and that was perhaps a hand held split. I think it was more like 11.7, as he is still in line with the first small pole at 1:35.5, and crosses the line in 1:47.2. Thanks