REDGRAVE NOT IN COE’S LEAGUE, SAYS THOMPSON
OLYMPIC great Daley Thompson said last night that rower Sir Steve Redgrave was ‘not in the same class’ as his friend Sebastian Coe.
The decathlete implied that rowing was much easier than his own specialism of track and field.
The pair are said to have always had a lukewarm relationship, so eyebrows were raised when they were both named as favourites to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony.
It emerged that former runner Lord Coe, chairman of organisers Locog, had been pushing for his long-time friend Thompson to do the honours on July 27, over the bookies’ favourite Sir Steve.
Yesterday, when asked about any rivalry between Lord Coe and Sir Steve, Thompson said: ‘Why would
‘Track and field
is toughest’
there be rivalry? In my opinion Sebastian Coe is the second greatest Olympian, after myself.
‘Steve Redgrave is not in the same class as Seb Coe. He is a rower, but I think track and field is the toughest sport in the Olympics, which means the rewards are greater.’
Asked if Sir Steve was one of the obvious choices to light the torch as a five-times Olympian, Thompson said: ‘I don’t think so. It depends on your opinion.
‘Without knowing the criteria or who is making the decision, it’s impossible for me to say who should light the flame.’
In an article in the Evening Standard newspaper two weeks ago, Sir Steve wrote: ‘Obviously, Daley was a great athlete. Some people, Seb Coe included, think he’s the best athlete ever. My personal view is that he doesn’t make the top five of great British Olympians. I’d put Seb above him, and Kelly Holmes, certainly Ben Ainslie, and, all modesty aside, myself and Matt Pinsent.
‘I say that because, to me, athletes compete at the decathlon if they are great all-rounders instead of being supreme in one event.’
Coe and Thompson both won the first of their two Olympic golds in Moscow in 19 0 – Coe in the 1,500 metres and Thompson in the decathlon. They both won gold again four years later in Los Angeles, the Games at which Sir Steve won the first of his five gold medals.
Lord Coe has no direct power over who will light the cauldron, but Locog chief executive Paul Deighton is one of the key decision-makers.
Lord Coe has previously joked that Thompson should perform the lighting ‘because he is my mate’, adding: ‘I also do actually happen to believe he is the greatest Olympian we have delivered.’