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

122 What about the athletes? 1988 meant another Olympic Games, this time in Seoul, South Korea but, back at home, the BAF was still only a dream. For the 1988 Games the BAAB had adopted a new selection policy; the first two in the official trials would be selected automatically provided they had achieved the designated qualification standard. The third place (only 3 entrants are allowed) would be decided by the selectors. Seb Coe was anxious for a final shot at the Olympic 800m but finished outside the first two at the trials. Cram, who had run and qualified for the 800m, did not run in the 1500m but had declared a wish to double up. Likewise, Peter Elliott had won the 1500m trial but wanted to run the 800m as well. The quandary for the selectors was whether to pick Elliott or Coe for the third spot in the 800m. The selectors opted for Coe; but there was a twist. In those days, the selectors’ responsibility was merely to recommend selections to the BAAB Council, which had the final word, and this would lead to the farce of the Council effectively going over, event by event, the same ground that had already been debated by the selectors. Most selections were not controversial but there were usually a few where, sometimes, an individual Council member blatantly argued for the inclusion of an athlete from his or her region. The BAAB Council overturned the selectors and picked Elliott for the 800m and all hell broke loose, with the press having a field day. The Daily Mirror ran a “Coe Must Go” campaign and the President of the IOC, Samaranch, an admirer of Coe, floated the idea of a “wild card” entry but, in the end, Sebastian Coe did not get his wish. The 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul acquired notoriety because of the Ben Johnson doping scandal but also witnessed the emergence of Linford Christie as a world class sprinter. Christie, himself surviving a brush with the anti-doping regime in Seoul, became the first European to run the 100m in less than 10 seconds and was elevated to the silver medal position behind American legend Carl Lewis when Johnson was disqualified. Elsewhere, the British athletes enjoyed mixed fortunes. A below par Steve Cram failed to qualify for the 800m final and missed out on a medal in the 1500m. Peter Elliott, bravely running through a torn groin muscle, took the silver in the 1500m as did Colin Jackson (110m hurdles) and the men’s 4x100m relay team. Fatima Whitbread took silver in the javelin, Liz McColgan matched this in the 10,000m and Yvonne Murray came third in the 3000m. Seven Olympic medals but no gold.