Despite not being on the Olympic program, where races follow metric measurements, the mile holds certain prestige in the ...

Steve Ovett (279) pulls ahead of Sebastian Coe (254) to win at the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980 (Getty) (Getty Images) But Coe had form in losing the big ones.

Steve Ovett is uniquely the only athlete to win major championship golds at 800m (Olympics), 1500m ... He caught front-running future world champion Willi Wulbeck (1:47.57) ...

Ovett possesses good running genes. His father, Steve, won gold in the 800-meter run at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, while he also managed to take bronze in the 1,500 meters at the same Games.

Ovett prefers to think of his triumph as a duel he won, not a shoot-out Coe lost. “To beat Seb in the 800m in Moscow was not a big shock to me,” he insisted.

July 26, 1980. Lenin Stadium, Moscow. For the millions watching live on TV, the BBC’s inimitable David Coleman meets the sound of the starter's gun.