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Ovett, an autobiography
216 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 1984
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 21, 2020
teve Ovett was one of the most notable English athletes during the mid-1970s through to the mid-1980s. At this time – which was a renaissance of sorts for England, in the sport of middle-distance athletics – he was a world record holder in the 1500m and mile run distances and an Olympic Champion. He was born October 9, 1955 and grew up in Brighton, Sussex.
The era in which he ran is often referred to by who he was competing with at the time, typically the Ovett-Cram (Steve Cram) era superseded the Ovett-Coe (Sebastian Coe) era, when all three competed for world dominance while representing Great Britain. Little did he know how long his presence would prevail.
Presumably having no corporate sponsors to consider, Ovett and John Rodda deliver an autobiography that, by all appearances, reads refreshingly frank and honest.
In comparison to most sport-based authors of autobiographies, Ovett provides accounts of his training, racing and life outside of the sport in scrupulous fashion. For example, Ovett talks about his disdain for the British media and recounts that early on in his career he stopped communicating with the media altogether, when having just won a European Cup semi-final 800m in July of 1975, and had decided to not compete in the final. An ensuing conversation in the press box, “provided a final straw in my relationship with the media.”
Read more: https://athleticsillustrated.com/ovet...
The era in which he ran is often referred to by who he was competing with at the time, typically the Ovett-Cram (Steve Cram) era superseded the Ovett-Coe (Sebastian Coe) era, when all three competed for world dominance while representing Great Britain. Little did he know how long his presence would prevail.
Presumably having no corporate sponsors to consider, Ovett and John Rodda deliver an autobiography that, by all appearances, reads refreshingly frank and honest.
In comparison to most sport-based authors of autobiographies, Ovett provides accounts of his training, racing and life outside of the sport in scrupulous fashion. For example, Ovett talks about his disdain for the British media and recounts that early on in his career he stopped communicating with the media altogether, when having just won a European Cup semi-final 800m in July of 1975, and had decided to not compete in the final. An ensuing conversation in the press box, “provided a final straw in my relationship with the media.”
Read more: https://athleticsillustrated.com/ovet...
April 22, 2025
Ovett truly the 🐐. Just a normal guy who was a killer athlete. Really enjoyed the insight into the Coe/ovett relationship…not much in it and clearly friends.
Loved the anecdote about his MBE and the Queen saying she heard he was jogging in Hyde Park at 7am, and the story of him feeling very little after winning Olympic Gold in 1980.
Loved the anecdote about his MBE and the Queen saying she heard he was jogging in Hyde Park at 7am, and the story of him feeling very little after winning Olympic Gold in 1980.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews