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1984 Olympic Games Los Angeles - Men's 1500 m

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Details: Parent Category: Olympic Games (Athletics); Category: 1984 Olympic Games Los Angeles - (Athletics); Last Updated: 30 July 2016; Hits: 565

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Host City: Los Angeles, United States

Format: Top four in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the final.

Date Started: August 9, 1984

Format: Top three in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals.

Date Finished: August 11, 1984

(Competitors: 59; Countries: 40; Finalists: 12)

Venue(s): Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Overview by IAAF

With Coe, Cram and Ovett, Britain was in the unique position of fielding the Olympic and World Champions and the World record holder – all different athletes. Coe was the least likely to make the team after serious illness in 1983 and defeat by Peter Elliott at the AAA Championships, but his form then picked up. Abascal was the fastest in both the heats (3:37.68) and semis (3:35.70). Cram won the slower semi-final in 3:36.30, and Khalifa’s 3:36.76 in fifth in that race was the slowest qualifying time, leaving Uwe Becker (3:37.28) and Stefano Mei (3:37.96) out in the cold. Khalifa led for the first lap in the final, just ahead of Chesire. Scott took over shortly after and led to 900m, when Abascal, a tempo runner without a big kick, took over and wound up the pace. At 1100m Abascal (2:39.1) led by 2m from Coe (2:39.3), with Cram (2:39.6) and Ovett (2:39.8) just behind. Ovett dropped out shortly after, succumbing to the breathing problems which had plagued him in Los Angeles. Cram attempted to pass Coe with 200m to go, but the reigning champion smoothly accelerated and surged past Abascal. Coe ran his last three 100m in 13.3, 13.0 and 12.9 to cross the line 7m clear before shaking his fist in triumph ... winning the race and silencing his critics in the British press.

Summary by Sports-reference.com

By 1984 the British pair of Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe had been joined by a third outstanding Briton, Steve Cram. Though he did not quite have the record times of that pair, he was quite good at winning major titles. In 1982 he was the Commonwealth and European Champion at 1,500 and in 1983, he won the inaugural World Championship in the 1,500 metres. The three British favorites were joined in Los Angeles by the top US miler since Jim Ryun, Steve Scott. Scott finished second to Cram at the World Athletics Championship, but led the 1983 world mile list with 3:49.21, set at the ISTAF Meet in Berlin on 17 August. The only significant miler who would not be in Los Angeles was South African Johan Fourie, third on the world-list for the year, but who could not compete because South Africa was still banned from international sports.

Though the Soviet Union led an Eastern European boycott of Los Angeles, in retribution for the 1980 American-led boycott, that hardly affected the 1,500 because the big British three and Scott were all available. All four made it thru the two rounds and presented for the final. Coe had earlier won the 800 metre gold medal, while Ovett was felt to be struggling with asthma problems. Scott and Cram qualified comfortably. After a first lap in 58.85, Scott moved to the front on the backstretch, trying to push the pace and take kick out of the Britons. He led thru 800 in 1:57.06, but then was passed by Spain's José Manuel Abascal, who led at the bell. Coe and Cram were on his shoulder. Coe took control on the backstretch and powered ahead to victory. He ran the last 200 in a stunning 26.1, holding off Cram (silver) and Abascal (bronze). His time of 3:32.53 finally bettered Kip Keino's Olympic record from 1968. Ovett could not finish the race because of his respiratory problems.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics.

World Record	3:30.77	Steve Ovett	Rieti (ITA)	September 4, 1983
Olympic Record	3:34.91	Kipchoge Keino	Mexico City (MEX)	October 20, 1968

		Results
From the start Omar Khalifa went to the lead, shadowed by Joseph Chesire with Sebastian Coe marking their lead in third. The first lap was 58.85. 500 metres into the race, Steve Scott\| ran around the leaders to take the point, Coe and José Manuel Abascal stringing out the field. They passed the 800 metre mark in a slightly faster 1:56.81. Abascal continued to speed up, passing Coe then Scott between 900 and 1000. Scott began to fall back through the field as Steve Cram and Steve Ovett moved forward. At the bell the three Brits were 2-4, three Steves were 3-5. Midway through the penultimate turn, suddenly the world record holder Ovett stepped inside of the curb and stopped. With 300 to go in an even faster 2:53.21, Abascal, Coe and Cram had three metres on Cheshire who accelerated around Scott and Jim Spivey as Ovett dropped out. Cram accelerated down the back stretch, Coe reacting, with about 220 metres to go, the leaders were three abreast across the track. Coe emerged ahead into the turn with Cram sprinting in his wake. Coe looked around to see where his competition was then focused on holding his position. Coming off the turn, Coe checked again, seeing Cram still a metre behind him, breaking away from Abascal. Coe sprinted away from Cram, checking again mid-straightaway to be sure his work was accomplished, then extending his lead to 6 metres by the finish. Cram had another 7 metres on Abascal who was able to hold off Cheshire for bronze. Coe became the only man to successfully defend his title in the 1500 metres. Coe turned back toward the press area and angrily showed them his index finger on both hands, indicating he was number one again. Still fresh after running less than 2 seconds off the world record, Coe jogged back still looking at that area of the stands and again showing his number one finger.
*1500 m*	Men	Final	11 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.32.53	Sebastian Coe	Great Britain	GBR	29 Sep 56
2	3.33.40	Steve Cram	Great Britain	GBR	14 Oct 60
3	3.34.30	José Manuel Abascal	Spain	ESP	17 Mar 58
4	3.34.52	Joseph Chesire	Kenya	KEN	12 Nov 57
5	3.36.07	Jim Spivey	United States	USA	7 Mar 60
6	3.36.97	Peter Wirz	Switzerland	SUI	29 Jul 60
7	3.37.02	Andrés Vera	Spain	ESP	31 Dec 60
8	3.37.11	Omar Khalifa	Sudan	SUD	18 Dec 56
9	3.38.98	Tony Rogers	New Zealand	NZL	30 Apr 57
10	3.39.86	Steve Scott	United States	USA	5 May 56
11	3.40.74	Riccardo Materazzi	Italy	ITA	15 Jun 63
	DNF	Steve Ovett	Great Britain	GBR	9 Oct 55
*1500 m*	Men	Semifinal 1	10 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.35.70	José Manuel Abascal	Spain	ESP	17 Mar 58
2	3.35.71	Steve Scott	United States	USA	5 May 56
3	3.35.81	Sebastian Coe	Great Britain	GBR	29 Sep 56
4	3.35.83	Joseph Chesire	Kenya	KEN	12 Nov 57
4	3.35.83	Peter Wirz	Switzerland	SUI	29 Jul 60
6	3.36.48	Tony Rogers	New Zealand	NZL	30 Apr 57
7	3.36.51	Riccardo Materazzi	Italy	ITA	15 Jun 63
8	3.38.12	Mike Hillardt	Australia	AUS	22 Jan 61
9	3.40.96	Pascal Thiébaut	France	FRA	6 Jun 59
10	3.41.57	James Igohe	Tanzania	TAN	62
	DQ	Abdi Bile	Somalia	SOM	28 Dec 62
	DNF	Agberto Guimarães	Brazil	BRA	18 Aug 57
*1500 m*	Men	Semifinal 2	10 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.36.30	Steve Cram	Great Britain	GBR	14 Oct 60
2	3.36.53	Jim Spivey	United States	USA	7 Mar 60
3	3.36.55	Andrés Vera	Spain	ESP	31 Dec 60
4	3.36.55	Steve Ovett	Great Britain	GBR	9 Oct 55
5	3.36.76	Omar Khalifa	Sudan	SUD	18 Dec 56
6	3.37.28	Uwe Becker	West Germany	FRG	10 Dec 55
7	3.37.96	Stefano Mei	Italy	ITA	3 Feb 63
8	3.38.71	Peter O'Donoghue	New Zealand	NZL	1 Oct 61
9	3.39.40	Marcus O'Sullivan	Ireland	IRL	22 Dec 61
10	3.40.83	Pat Scammell	Australia	AUS	15 Apr 61
11	3.41.80	Tapfumanei Jonga	Zimbabwe	ZIM	13 Nov 59
	DNS	Joaquim Cruz	Brazil	BRA	12 Mar 63
*1500 m*	Men	Heat 1	9 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.38.51	Joseph Chesire	Kenya	KEN	12 Nov 57
2	3.38.93	Omar Khalifa	Sudan	SUD	18 Dec 56
3	3.39.25	Stefano Mei	Italy	ITA	3 Feb 63
4	3.39.78	Tony Rogers	New Zealand	NZL	30 Apr 57
5	3.47.01	José Luís González	Spain	ESP	8 Dec 57
6	3.47.54	Faouzi Lahbi	Morocco	MAR	2 Mar 58
7	3.59.14	Paul Ceesay	Gambia	GAM	18 Feb 59
8	4.12.76	Amer Al-Sharji	Oman	OMA	4 Jun 64
	DNF	Antti Loikkanen	Finland	FIN	15 Apr 55
*1500 m*	Men	Heat 2	9 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.45.18	Pascal Thiébaut	France	FRA	6 Jun 59
2	3.45.30	Sebastian Coe	Great Britain	GBR	29 Sep 56
3	3.45.44	Andrés Vera	Spain	ESP	31 Dec 60
4	3.45.70	Paul Donovan	Ireland	IRL	11 Jul 63
5	3.46.80	Jama Mohamed Aden	Somalia	SOM	62
6	3.49.78	Mohamed Alouini	Tunisia	TUN	19 Oct 57
7	3.55.65	Dale Jones	Antigua and Barbuda	ANT	12 Mar 64
8	3.58.69	Kgomotso Balotlhanji	Botswana	BOT	6 Apr 56
	DNF	Oslen Barr	Guyana	GUY	3 Apr 61
*1500 m*	Men	Heat 3	9 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.49.23	Steve Ovett	Great Britain	GBR	9 Oct 55
2	3.49.26	Agberto Guimarães	Brazil	BRA	18 Aug 57
3	3.49.65	Marcus O'Sullivan	Ireland	IRL	22 Dec 61
4	3.51.61	Joseph Muraya	Kenya	KEN	25 Dec 57
5	3.52.04	Gawain Guy	United States	USA	28 Jan 62
6	3.52.63	Claudio Patrignani	Italy	ITA	9 Jan 59
7	3.53.92	Mehdi Aïdet	Algeria	ALG	3 Nov 53
8	3.59.85	Mouteb Al-Faouri	Jordan	JOR	1 Mar 60
	DNF	Pierre Délèze	Switzerland	SUI	25 Aug 58
*1500 m*	Men	Heat 4	9 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.41.01	Joaquim Cruz	Brazil	BRA	12 Mar 63
2	3.41.02	Steve Scott	United States	USA	5 May 56
3	3.41.18	Mike Hillardt	Australia	AUS	22 Jan 61
4	3.41.76	Frank O'Mara	Ireland	IRL	17 Jul 60
5	3.42.84	Alex Gonzalez	United States	USA	18 May 60
6	3.45.05	Mark Handelsman	Israel	ISR	9 Jun 61
7	3.45.09	Abderrahmane Morceli	Algeria	ALG	1 Jan 57
8	3.46.99	Archfel Musango	Zambia	ZAM	9 Mar 59
9	3.56.43	Adamou Allassane	Niger	NIG	4 Aug 60
10	4.02.87	Tito Rodriguez	Suriname	SUR	30 Dec 65	NJR
*1500 m*	Men	Heat 5	9 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.37.68	José Manuel Abascal	Spain	ESP	17 Mar 58
2	3.37.75	Peter Wirz	Switzerland	SUI	29 Jul 60
3	3.37.76	Uwe Becker	West Germany	FRG	10 Dec 55
4	3.37.95	Riccardo Materazzi	Italy	ITA	15 Jun 63
5	3.39.18	Pat Scammell	Australia	AUS	15 Apr 61
6	3.39.62	James Igohe	Tanzania	TAN	62
7	3.40.42	Tapfumanei Jonga	Zimbabwe	ZIM	13 Nov 59
8	3.53.86	Isaac Ganunga	Malawi	MAW	10 Dec 59
9	3.57.59	Hugo García	Guatemala	GUA	10 Apr 63
10	4.02.63	Kim Bong-Joo	South Korea	KOR	16 Jun 67
	DNF	Ibrahim Aziz	United Arab Emirates	UAE	59
*1500 m*	Men	Heat 6	9 August

Rank	Mark	Athlete	Country	NOC	Birth Date	Records
1	3.40.33	Steve Cram	Great Britain	GBR	14 Oct 60
2	3.40.58	Jim Spivey	United States	USA	7 Mar 60
3	3.40.69	Peter O'Donoghue	New Zealand	NZL	1 Oct 61
4	3.40.72	Abdi Bile	Somalia	SOM	28 Dec 62
5	3.41.96	Joseph Chesire	Kenya	KEN	12 Nov 57
6	3.45.55	Zakaria Gwandu	Tanzania	TAN	64
7	3.55.19	Batumalai Rajakumar	Malaysia	MAS	10 Dec 64
8	3.57.62	Jean-Marie Rudasinqwa	Rwanda	RWA	13 Jul 53
9	4.25.80	Philip Sinon	Seychelles	SEY	21 Sep 63
10	4.34.71	Diosdado Lozano	Equatorial Guinea	GEQ	10 Jun 64
	DNF	Omar Ortega	Argentina	ARG	13 Dec 60