Athletics in the UK: The Rise and Fall of the BAF

118 WHAT ABOUT THE ATHLETES? In 1976, Great Britain had returned from the Olympic Games in Montreal with only one medal, the bronze in the 10,000m won by Brendan Foster. This was to prove a low point that marked the beginning of a period of astonishing success for British athletes. By the time of the 1980 Games, held in Moscow, British athletes were already riding high. Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe had started swapping middle distance world records and Daley Thompson had established himself as king of the decathlon. In Moscow, Coe was the favourite for the 800m but won the 1500m and Ovett was the favourite for the 1500m but won the 800m. Allan Wells took the 100m gold as well as silver in the 200m and Daley Thompson won the decathlon. The USA had led a partial boycott of these games which undoubtedly helped Britain’s chances but did not take the gloss off the successes The roll had begun. British athletes were dominating the international stage, with superstars Coe, Ovett and Thompson joined by David Moorcroft, Fatima Whitbread, Tessa Sanderson and others. Coe and Ovett continued on their world record breaking roller coaster, including Coe’s brilliant 800m record set in Florence in 1981. In 1982, David Moorcroft set a new world record for the 5,000m and Steve Cram emerged as European Champion over 1,500m. Daley Thompson continued on his winning ways and triple jumper Keith Connor also took European Gold. 1981 also signified a further milestone in the sport in Britain with the first running of the London Marathon. Chris Brasher had been inspired by the New York marathon to organise one in London and, against the odds, had persuaded all the necessary authorities to support him. Today, the London Marathon is as much a part of London life and tradition as the Changing of the Guard. Brasher, irascible but immensely likeable, was another larger than life character who, when he set his mind to something, could get it done. He had taken part as one of the pace-makers in Roger Bannister’s four minute mile and had won the steeplechase gold medal at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. Mountain climbing and walking were hobbies (he had been a reserve on Sir John Hunt’s successful team to be the first to