Sebastian Coe
Sebastian Coe
Sebastian Newbold Coe, Baron Coe, CH KBE FRIBA, often referred to as Seb Coe or Lord Coe, is a British politician and former track and field athlete. As a middle-distance runner, Lord Coe won four Olympic medals, including the 1500 metres gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984. He set eight outdoor and three indoor world records in middle-distance track events – including, in 1979, setting three world records in the space of 41 days – and...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth29 September 1956
crave people profession shared shave trying
The characteristic shared by people at the top of their profession is that, to get better, they crave criticism. Most people don't like criticism, but if you are trying to shave two tenths of a second at 800 metres, that is what you crave.
dad good huge hugely influence mother structure time
I have always been very good at being able to structure my time. My mother had a huge influence on me. My dad was my coach. He was a hugely influential figure.
computer email kids life message phone sent text
I've never sent an email in my life. My kids laugh. I often hand the phone to them and say, 'Can you text this message to somebody.' I don't even have a computer on my desk.
field games imagination nearly until
I started track and field when I was 12 and didn't get to an Olympic Games until I was nearly 23. By any stretch of the imagination that's a very long apprenticeship.
morning trying wake
I think I'm probably just an old-fashioned Tory. I don't wake up each morning trying to figure out what kind of Conservative I am; for me it's quite instinctive.
although critical life mum people quickly quite recognise round running twice
My mum was critical in getting me to recognise very early on that although what I was doing was pretty serious, quite selfish, and probably to most people pretty obsessive, there actually was more to life than running quickly twice round a track.
argument countries country facilities legacy longer russia saying since sports venues winter
Since the break-up of the 1990s, Russia has not had winter sports facilities. All the winter sport venues were effectively located in countries that are no longer part of the federation. There is a strong argument for saying Sochi's legacy will be this country will have winter sports facilities it did not have before.
essays handed joke lecturer university
At university level, I had an economics lecturer who used to joke that I was the only student who handed in essays on British Airways notepaper.
countries domestic few foreign recognise somebody
We have to recognise there are very few countries you will take the Games to where somebody doesn't have issues on foreign or domestic policy.
critical entering maintain momentum until
We have been able to maintain our momentum until now but are we are entering the critical phase.
across line
We couldn't have got across the line without them.
third time
We really want the Games, this is our third time trying.
athletes balls coming foot good heel hope perfect run slight tilt
You hope all good athletes run on the balls of their feet. You don't want them coming down heel first. The perfect style is the foot to come down with a slight supination and on a tilt to the outside.
delighted hard paid work
We are delighted - a lot of hard work has paid off