Steven Ovett OBE, Olympic Gold medalist over 800m, is one of the greatest British athletes ever, heralding from the golden era of British athletics. His on the track rivalry with Sebastian Coe, is legendary and resulted in some of the greatest middle distance races of all time - the like of which have never been repeated.

The Brighton born, Ovett gained some Olympic experience in 1976 when he ran in the final of the 800 m and placed fifth. At the European Championships in 1978, he won gold in 1500 m and silver in 800 m.  

But it was at the Moscow Games of 1980 that the media furore took him to new heights of awareness   - he as the undoubted favourite to take the 1500m title. Earlier that month, he had established a new mile world record of 3:48.8 and two weeks later equaled Sebastian Coe's world record in 1500 m of 3:32.1. He had been unbeaten over 1500m and mile for three years. He used the 800m as his test for the 1500m, but shocked the world when he moved from the halfway mark, and pushed his way to second place, and with just seventy metres to go shot into the lead and held off Coe 'the favourite' to win by three metres. Six days later his assured 1500m gold was taken by Coe who was in front of Ovett throughout the race, Ovett took the bronze.

After the Olympics Ovett lowered the 1500 m world record time to 3:31.36. In 1983 he lowered it furthermore to 3:30.77. Ovett attempted to defend his 800 m title in 1984 Summer Olympics. Battling with bronchitis, he barely qualified for the final and then finished eighth, after which he collapsed and spent two nights in a hospital. He returned to compete in the 1500 m.

Running in third place at the beginning of the last lap of the final; Ovett collapsed with chest pains and was taken away on a stretcher. In 1986 he won 5000 m in the Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh. He failed to make the 1988 Olympic team and decided to retire soon after that.After retiring Steve has been a consultant for ten years with the I.A.A.F. (International Amateur Athletic Federation) as well as working for ISL (International Sport and Leisure), the group then in charge of worldwide marketing for major sports including athletics.

Steve has also worked for broadcast television working for ten years as a commentator with ITV (Independent Television network) on sport for domestic coverage within the   U.K, for CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp.) during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 2003 World Championships in Paris,   the 2004 Athens Olympics, and CH9 (Australia) and BBC at 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.