Sebastian Coe

Sebastian Newbold Coe, Baron Coe CH KBE (born 29 September 1956, and often nicknamed Seb Coe) is a former athlete and politician from the United Kingdom. A middle distance runner, Coe won the 1500 m gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984, and set eight outdoor and three indoor world records. He is widely considered to be amongst the greatest middle distance runners of all time. Following his retirement from athletics, he served as a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party from 1992-97. He became a life peer in 2000. He is the head of the London bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. After the International Olympic Committee awarded the games to London, he became the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. In 2007, he was also elected a vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

The Right Honourable The Lord Coe CH KBE
Personal details
Born	(1956-09-29) 29 September 1956 Hammersmith, London, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Children	2 sons, 2 daughters
Alma mater	Loughborough University
Occupation	Peer and retired athlete

Sebastian Coe

Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing United Kingdom
Olympic Games
	1980 Moscow	1500 m
	1984 Los Angeles	1500 m
	1980 Moscow	800 m
	1984 Los Angeles	800 m
European Championships
	1978 Prague	800 m
	1982 Athens	800 m
	1986 Stuttgart	800 m
	1986 Stuttgart	1500 m

Personal life

Coe was born in Hammersmith, London. He grew up in Warwickshire and Sheffield. His mother, Tina Angela Coe, died in Hammersmith and Fulham, London, in 2005, aged 75. His mother was half Indian, born to a Punjabi father Sardari Lal and an English mother Vera. His father, Peter Coe (born Percy N. Coe in Kingston upon Thames), died on 9 August 2008, aged 88, while Coe was in Beijing.

Coe married Nicky McIrvine, a former Badminton three-day-event champion, in Surrey, in 1990. They have two sons and two daughters, all of whom were born in Surrey:

• The Hon. Madeline Rose Coe (8 July 1992–)
• The Hon. Harry Sebastian Newbold Coe (29 September 1994–)
• The Hon. Peter Henry Christopher Coe (31 May 1996–)
• The Hon. Alice India Violet Coe (25 September 1998–)

The marriage ended in divorce in 2002 after twelve years and Coe moved out of the family home. Coe married Carole Annett in summer 2011.

On 12 February 2010, Coe was the 19th runner on the 106th day of the Vancouver Olympic Torch Relay. Coe's leg was along the Stanley Park Seawall, and he exchanged a "torch kiss" with the previous runner, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the next runner, a 19 year old member of the Squamish community.

Awards

He was awarded with the first Prince of Asturias Award in sports category in 1987.

Coe was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1982 and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1990. He was created a life peer in 2000 as Baron Coe, of Ranmore in the County of Surrey.

In December 2005, Coe was given a Special award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2006 New Year's Honours List for services to sport.

Personal bests

Distance	Mark	Date
400 m	46.87	1979 & 45.5 relay leg (1979)
800 m	1:41.73	1981
1000 m	2:12.18	1981
1500 m	3:29.77	1986
Mile	3:47.33	1981
2000 m	4:58.84	1982
3000 m	7:54.32	1979
5000 m	14:06.2	1980

Styles and honours

• Mr Sebastian Coe (1956–1982)
• Mr Sebastian Coe MBE (1982–1990)
• Mr Sebastian Coe OBE (1990–1992)
• Mr Sebastian Coe OBE MP (1992–1997)
• Mr Sebastian Coe OBE (1997–2000)
• The Rt. Hon. The Lord Coe OBE (2000–2006)
• The Rt. Hon. The Lord Coe KBE (2006–)

Related pages

• Steve Ovett
• Steve Cram
• Olympic Games
• Middle distance track event

Other websites

• Sebastian Coe's foreword to 'Running the Race', biography of Olympic champion Eric Liddell ISBN 978-0-85234-665-5
• Sebastian Coe's entries on the official blog of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Archived 2007-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
• Sebastian Coe Profile: Made In Sheffield Archived 2009-05-24 at the Wayback Machine
• Guardian profile of Sebastian Coe Archived 2008-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
• Article by Sebastian Coe about his amazing rise to fame in 1979, The Daily Telegraph, 11 August 2009, Accessed 11 August 2009.
• Sebastian Coe has revamped London's bid for the 2012 Olympics
• Sebastian Coe promises Olympics to remember
• Sebastian Coe greatest race: the 2012 Olympics
• Why London won the games: The Sebastian Coe factor
• Coe Pays Tribute To Lord Stratford
• Students interview Sebastian Coe Archived 2012-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Sebastian Coe's Biography

Parliament of the United Kingdom (1801–present)
Preceded by David Mudd	Member of Parliament for Falmouth and Camborne 1992–1997	Succeeded by Candy Atherton
Records
Preceded by Alberto Juantorena	Men's 800 metres World Record Holder 1979-07-05 – 1997-07-07	Succeeded by Wilson Kipketer
Preceded by Filbert Bayi	Men's 1500 m World Record Holder 15 August 1979 – 27 August 1980	Succeeded by Steve Ovett
Preceded by John Walker	Men's Mile World Record Holder 17 July 1979 – 1 July 1980	Succeeded by Steve Ovett
Preceded by Steve Ovett	Men's Mile World Record Holder 19 August 1981 – 26 August 1981	Succeeded by Steve Ovett
Preceded by Steve Ovett	Men's Mile World Record Holder 28 August 1981 – 27 July 1985	Succeeded by Steve Cram
Preceded by Marcello Fiasconaro	European Record Holder Men's 800 m 5 July 1979 - 6 July 1997	Succeeded by Wilson Kipketer
Preceded by Jean Wadoux	European Record Holder Men's 1500 m 17 July 1979 - 26 August 1980	Succeeded by Steve Ovett
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Steve Ovett	BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1979	Succeeded by Robin Cousins
Preceded by Henry Rono	United Press International Athlete of the Year 1979	Succeeded by Eric Heiden
Preceded by Henry Rono	Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 1979	Succeeded by Edwin Moses
Preceded by Eric Heiden	United Press International Athlete of the Year 1981	Succeeded by Daley Thompson
Preceded by Edwin Moses	Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 1981	Succeeded by Carl Lewis
Preceded by Liu Qi	President of Organizing Committee for Summer Olympic Games Games of the XXX Olympiad	Succeeded by Carlos Arthur Nuzman