The Essendon players listened intently to Coe and his experiences with being and coaching top-line athletes. 47-year old Coe grew up in Sheffield, England and began running at the age of 12. He was destined to be involved in athletics and as a teenager he won school 3k, 1500m and cross country titles.
In 1979 Coe broke three world records in the space of 41 days: 800m and mile in Oslo and the 1500m in Zurich. He was the first man in 50 years to set world records at both distances. Later, Coe also broke the 1000m record therefore holding four world records simultaneously.
Coe won gold in the 1500 and silver in the 800 at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. He broke the world record again for the 800m in Florence with a time of 1.41.73 in June 1981. This remained unbroken until 1997.
Coe’s impressive Olympic record continued at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984. He set an Olympic Record in the 1500m and won silver in the 800m. Coe now pursues a political career and was Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition in Britain. He now sits in the House of Lords and is a member of the International Olympic Committee and a member of several sporting commissions including boxing. Coe was awarded an OBE in 1991.
