Congratulations to Sebastian Coe on his brilliant run in Brussels on Friday, breaking the world mile record set two days earlier by Steve Ovett, who had broken the record set the week before by Coe, whose time bettered the previous record run by Ovett last year when he broke the record set by Coe in 1979… No doubt Ovett is even now planning his retaliation, so we could go on like this for a long time.
With Britain possessing the two best middle-distance runners the world has ever seen we can be proud and happy at such spectacularly productive rivalry. Even the most non-sporting of our patriots will be pleased that the Continent is ablaze with interest in the old-fashioned British mile, an event, moreover, in which they travel on the left-hand side of the track.
There is, however, an observation worth making in the lull before the next roar.
There will be no complete satisfaction, for them or us, until they meet in the same race. We hope that this failure to disguise our impatience for that day is not being unfair.
Talking point
One of the carnival’s organisers said they were ‘jumpy’ because the event, which had been free of trouble since 1978, was taking place against the background of inner-city riots earlier this year
The Notting Hill carnival prays for peace and happiness
Key quote
I think there would be no greater move for peace than if the British forces just packed up and went home.
Ken Livingstone on Northern Ireland
