In the Mediterranean setting of Costa Navarino, Greece, the stage is set for a significant moment in Olympic history. As Sebastian Coe steps forward, he is not only vying for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but he is also following in the footsteps of the only other English Olympian who attempted this feat, nearly seven decades ago. That predecessor, whose Olympic legacy extended from the 1920s to the 1980s and included 48 years serving on the IOC, was David Burghley.
Burghley, a distinguished figure in Olympic history, began his journey at the 1924 Paris Olympics, a period later immortalized in the Academy Award-winning film, “Chariots of Fire.” In a moment rich with historical significance, he awarded medals at the 1968 Mexico City Games to athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, seconds before they made their iconic raised-fist protest. He also presented Sebastian Coe with a gold medal during the 1980 Moscow Olympics, marking the first of Coe’s successive victories in the 1,500 meters.
“He is a monumental figure in my life journey,” Coe expressed before his travel to Greece for the impending election. “During my athletic ascent, our paths crossed on several occasions.” Their careers share remarkable parallels: both were Olympic champion runners and world record holders, served as elected members of the British parliament, managed the hosting of a London Olympics, and led international athletics organizations.
In 1952, Burghley confidently pursued the presidency of the IOC in Helsinki, standing against American candidate Avery Brundage. Brundage clinched the role with a 30-17 vote, becoming the first (and still the only) non-European president of the IOC. Burghley tried again in 1964, but stepped aside in Rome for Brundage to be unanimously re-elected.
Burghley’s influence on the Olympics extended beyond competition. In 1946, he was elected to lead what was then known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), and two years later, he managed the organization of the first post-war Olympic Games in London. Decades later, Coe would echo this achievement by spearheading London’s successful bid for the 2012 Summer Games, defeating Paris and guiding the seven-year project to fruition.
In a gesture of respect and continuity, Coe gifted the commemorative Olympic torch from the London Games to Burghley’s legacy, now residing in the Olympic museum at Burghley House. “His family remains very dear to me,” Coe mentioned, reflecting on these enduring connections.
Burghley House, a grand 16th-century residence located about 80 miles north of London, houses a collection of memorabilia that includes Burghley’s 400-meter hurdles gold medal from the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Known as the “Leaping Lord,” Burghley competed alongside his British peers Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, who triumphed in the 100 and 400 meters, respectively. His role was reenacted by the character Lord Lindsay in “Chariots of Fire.” In 1932, Burghley captured a silver medal in the 4×400 relay at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a venue where Coe, 52 years later, secured his second 1,500-meter title.
In their intertwined histories, Coe and Burghley converged once more after Moscow at the 1981 Olympic Congress in West Germany, where Coe was among the forefront athlete representatives. During the event in Baden-Baden, held just weeks before Burghley’s passing at age 76, Coe recalls exchanging “passing pleasantries.” At this gathering, Burghley was honored posthumously as an honorary vice president of the IOC.
This week, as Sebastian Coe stands at the threshold near the historic site of Ancient Olympia, he aspires to ascend higher on the Olympic ladder, aiming for a seat as prestigious as that pursued by one of England’s most revered Olympians before him.
