Michael competes in the January 2016 Hampshire Cross Country Championships

Dr Michael McCabe 'overtakes' Steve Ovett, 40 years after competing against him for Sussex as a student

A visit to campus sparked memories of competing against an Olympic gold medallist for an athletics-loving Sussex alumnus last year.

Dr Michael McCabe (MAPS 1973) returned in July to take part in a walking pilgrimage from Arundel to Falmer, which involved spending two nights sleeping on the floor of the University’s Sport Centre. He said:

“It was an uncanny experience. Not only was this where I used to head off from for lunchtime runs after lectures, it was also where I sat most of my finals exams.”

Michael, now a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Portsmouth, went head-to-head with Steve Ovett in May 1974 at an athletics meeting between the University’s athletics team and Brighton and Hove Athletics Club at the Withdean Stadium.

The 1978 BBC Sports Personality of the Year went on to win the 1500m race, but Michael’s performance helped Sussex to overall victory.

Tongue firmly in cheek, Michael said: “Ovett never dared compete against me again. Instead, he began his rivalry against Seb Coe, beating him to silver and gold medals in the 1978 European Championships.”

Michael visited again in September and posed for a photograph next to the statue of Ovett on Brighton seafront.

Successful runners who have also competed for the University include Chris Carter (SOC 1973), holder of the British half-mile record, and Olympians Adrian Parker (ENGG 1973) and Brendan Foster (MOLS 1966), founder of the Great North Run.

Michael follows in the footsteps of fellow alumnus Nam Kiong Chan (ENGG 1977), by signing up to run for Sussex once again, this time at the 2017 Brighton Marathon.

They will both be raising funds to support the University’s world-leading research into Podoconiosis, a common but highly neglected tropical disease.

Join Michael and Nam Kiong in running in 2017 to help those who can’t walk

The University is offering a training programme developed by a former top UK marathon runner, a unique t-shirt to take away, and a pasta party reunion on campus to alumni, students and staff taking part to support the Preventing Podo campaign.

Alumni, staff and students will also have the chance to take part in the BM10k, a ten kilometre race which serves as the curtain raiser for the main event.

If you would like to run the Brighton Marathon or the BM10K in support of podoconiosis research at Sussex, please contact: b.loxton@sussex.ac.uk.

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