ZÜRICH 2014 – Lord Sebastian Coe at Zürich 2014: \“Zurich is my spiritual home town\“

Sebastian Coe was a middle distance star, a Member of Parliament, and Chairman of the grandiose 2012 Olympic Games. Currently, the 57-year-old acts as IAAF Vice-President and as President of the British National Olympic Committee. But today, he was a guest at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich.

"Zurich is my spiritual home town," says Lord Sebastian Coe. During his athletics career, the living legend set two world records at Letzigrund Stadium, one in the 1500m in 1979, and another in the mile in 1981. "I am still passionate about athletics."
Athletics is not the only reason for him to return to Zurich again and again, however. He keeps coming back because of the city itself, because of the many galleries – because he likes spending time here.

The great Roger Bannister had been one of the top stars of the first Swiss edition of European Athletics Championships in 1954. Coe had not even been born at the time. But Bannister would become one of his great role models.

"He inspired every athlete of my generation. If it was not for him, an Australian would have become the first human to run the mile in less than four minutes. That would have been hard to swallow for us British."

"Without Roger, the history of the mile would be less British. I always call him the Senior Partner of all great British runners. We all look up to him." It meant a lot to Sebastian Coe, that he broke the world record in the mile on the 25th anniversary of Bannister’s pioneering achievement.

Sebastian Coe, however, does not only indulge in reminiscences of the past. He thinks about the future of athletics a lot: „We have to get more young people to love athletics. I think, that’s our great challenge.“ 

Major championships and great one-day meetings are a great tool to do that.

"Running at championships is more mentally demanding. I have noticed that many athletes are in trouble when there is no pacemaker in the race." But what “his“ sport needs more than any reform are high-level duels, the best running against the best both at championships and meetings. “My sons get up in the middle of the night to watch Federer play against Nadal, or Vettel race against Hamilton.

Great duels are that extra something in sport.“

Source:  Zürich 2014 –  Janine Geigele