RIETI, ITALY: Middle distance champions Steve Cram of Britain, said Aouita of Morocco and Somalian Abdi Bile are set to run at next Wednesday’s Rieti Athletics meeting, one of their last chances of competition before the Seoul Olympics.
But the three stars are unlikely to compete against each other at the Italian track 80 km (50 miles) from Rome, organizers’ said on Thursday
European Champion Cram, one of Britain’s brightest hopes for an Olympic medal, is planning to run the 1,000 meters in the hope of beating compatriot Sebastian Coe’s world best time of two minutes 12.18 ‘seconds set in Oslo in 1981.
Aovita, world 5,000 meters champion and 1,500 meters world record holder has yet to decide whether to run the 1,500 or 800 meters. He and Cram could meet at both distances in Seoul.
World 1,500 meters Champion Bile has chosen to run the mile next Wednesday
Organizers said they hoped also to attract Coe; twice Olympic 1,500 meters Champion, to the meeting. Coe was controversially left out of the British Squad for Seoul! After failing to qualify at the Olympic trials earlier this month,
Other world record holders due to take part are Sweden’s Patrick Sjoeberg in the high jump and American Renaldo Nehemiah in the 110 meters hurdles.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 2, 1988
