Who is Sebastian Coe? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In September

Also Known As: Sebastian Newbold Coe

Age: 67 Years, 67 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Carole Annett, Nicky McIrvine

father: Peter Coe

mother: Tina Angela Lal

children: Alice India Violet Coe, Harry Sebastian Newbold Coe, Madeleine Rose Coe, Peter Henry Christopher Coe

Athletes British Men

Height: 5'9" (175 cm), 5'9" Males

political ideology: Conservative

City: London, England

More Facts

education: Loughborough University

awards: Laureus World Sports Award for Lifetime Achievement - 2013
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award - 1979
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award - 2012

Milliyet Sports Award for World Athlete of the Year - 1980
National Television Award for Landmark Achievement - 2013

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Childhood & Early Life

Sebastian Coe was born on September 29, 1956 in London, England, as the oldest of four children born to Peter Coe, an engineer, and Angela Coe, an actress. His father was an athletic man and a cyclist, who encouraged Sebastian to play sports from a young age.

He received his primary education from Bridgetown Primary School and Hugh Clopton Secondary School in Stratford-upon-Avon. His family then moved to Sheffield where he attended Tapton Secondary Modern School and Abbeydale Grange School.

He loved running from an early age, and was constantly motivated by his father to pursue his passion. At the age of 12, he joined the athletics team Hallamshire Harriers and became a middle-distance specialist in no time. Even though his father had no coaching experience, he took it upon himself to train his talented son.

Following his graduation from high school, Sebastian Coe studied Economics and Social History at Loughborough University. He was trained by athletics coach George Gandy at the university and represented his university as a runner. Gandy’s training techniques greatly helped to improve Coe’s running.

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Career

Sebastian Coe was first catapulted to international fame in March 1977 when he competed in the 800 metres at the European Indoor Championships in San Sebastian. He won the race in 1:46.54, narrowly missing the world indoor record.

Throughout 1977 he displayed great form and clinched his first UK national record outdoors at the 800m at the Coca Cola Games at Crystal Palace, beating Andy Carter.

He continued to perform well over the next few years and set three world records in 41 days in 1979-- in the 800 metres (1:42.33) and the mile (3:48.95) in Oslo, Norway and later broke the world 1500 metres record (3:32.03) in Zurich, Switzerland. He became the first person to hold all three records at the same time. He was voted "athlete of the year" by ‘Athletics Weekly’ and ‘Track and Field News’ at the end of the year.

He, along with his arch rival Ovett, participated in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow where Coe went on to win the 1500 metres and came in second after Ovett in the 800 metres. Coe covered the last 400 metres of the 1500 metres race in 52.2 and the last 100 m in 12.1 seconds, the fastest ever finish at this distance.

The year 1981 was a very eventful one for him. He set world records in the 800 and 1,000 metres, and beat Ovett’s mile record, running it in 3 minute 48.53 second. Ovett, however, went on to set another mile record, which was again shattered by Coe with a 3 minute 47.33 second run.

Sebastian Coe was selected to compete in the 800 and 1500 metres at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He won the gold once again in the 1500 metres with an Olympic record of 3:32.53, and won the silver in the 800 metres, losing the first spot to Joaquim Cruz of Brazil. He became the first person to win successive Olympic 1500 metres titles, and remains the only one so far.

He suffered an injury in May 1987 which kept him out of action for the entire season. He could not qualify for the British 1988 Olympic Games team. After one final good season in 1989, he retired from competitive athletics in early 1990.

He embarked into a political career after retiring as an athlete and was elected as Member of Parliament for Falmouth and Camborne in 1992, for the Conservative Party, a position he held until he lost his seat in the 1997 general election.

He became a council member of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) in 2003 and was named the head of London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics the next year. The bid was successful and London was awarded the Games in 2005, following which he became the chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games. After the London Olympics, Coe was appointed as Chairman of the British Olympic Association.

Awards & Achievements

Sebastian Coe was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1982, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1990, and created a Life Peer as Baron Coe, of Ranmore in the County of Surrey, in 2000.

He is the recipient of several honorary degrees, including an Honorary Doctor of Technology (Hon DTech) by his alma mater, Loughborough University in 1985, and a Doctor of Science (Hon DSc) from the University of East London in 2009.

Coe was appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) for services to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 2013 New Year Honours.

Personal Life & Legacy

Sebastian Coe married Nicky McIrvine, a former Badminton three-day-event champion, in 1990. The couple had four children before divorcing in 2002.

He started dating Carole Annett in 2003 and married her in 2011.

Sebastian Coe Biography