BBC SPORT | HISTORY | Moscow 1980

The 1980 Moscow Games were the first held in a country under communist rule, and were marred by a boycott in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

The absences of the likes of Japan, West Germany and the United States left a question mark hanging over the future of the Olympic movement.

While many of the results may have been different if these nations had taken part, the quality of competition was still of a very high standard.

Moscow witnessed 36 world records, 39 European records and 73 Olympic bests.

Steve Ovett takes the 800m gold

The men's 100m saw a very close finish between Great Britain's Alan Wells and Silvio Leonard of Cuba, with Wells taking the gold.

Britain had two other Gold successes in men's track events.

Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe clashed over both 800 and 1500 metres, with Ovett winning at Coe's favoured 800m and Coe winning at the longer distance.

In the pool Britain's Duncan Goodhew won the 100m breaststroke gold, repeating the 200m success of David Wilkie four years earlier.




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