Coe, Ovett Left Off British Olympic Track Team

Sebastian Coe, the only man to have won two Olympic gold medals in the 1,500-meter run, was left off the British track and field team named Monday for the Olympic Games at Seoul.

Coe, 31, winner of the 1,500 in 1980 and 1984, failed to reach the event final in the first British Olympic trials Saturday at Birmingham, England. In other years, trials were not used and the British team was selected on the basis of past performances and successes at major championships.

Under the new system, the first two finishers in the trials earned automatic berths on the team, with officials determining the third berth. Coe was among the most vociferous critics of the new selection system used for the Games.

Although he did not run in the 800-meter trials, the event at which he won the silver medal at both the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, Coe was hoping to be nominated for the third spot in that event.

Instead, the selectors chose Peter Elliott, winner of the 1,500 meters at the trials, as the third representative in the 800.

The British team for the 800 is Steve Cram, Tom McKean and Elliott, and the 1,500 runners will be Cram, Elliott and Steve Crabb.

Also left off the team was Coe’s middle-distance rival, Steve Ovett, who was bidding to run in his fourth Olympic Games. Ovett, who won the Olympic 800 meters and took the bronze in the 1,500 in 1980, finished fourth in the 1,500 final at the trials.

Ovett, who will be 33 in October, reached the 800-meter final in 1976, 1980 and 1984 but has not run well for at least two years.

Coe, who has set 12 world records, was thought to have wanted to retire after the Olympics.