Steve Cram

Are you ready to compete in 2012?
Knowing your competitors and having the strategies and skills to go the extra mile.

British middle distance running could not believe its luck when, in a majestic-striding youngster from the northeast, it found a "third man" to eclipse Seb Coe and Steve Ovett. When Steve Cram was in full cry – during his demolition of Ovett's and Coe's world records in 1985 – one commentator likened it to "watching a Greek god on the track".

For five seasons between 1982 and 1986, he enjoyed a dazzling spell of competitive success which neither Coe or Ovett ever matched, winning a world, two European and three Commonwealth gold medals. Short of full fitness, he had to settle for silver behind Coe in the Los Angeles Olympics 1,500m final, but he bounced back with three world records in 19 days the following year – including history's first sub-three-and-half minute metric mile. Steve is now the main athletics presenter for the BBC.