A rare defeat for Ovett at the end of a very busy 1981 season. Here in Rieti on 9.9.1981, Sydney Maree became the 3rd fastest miler ever at the time, winning in 3:48.83, with Ovett 2nd in 3:50.23. In the previous 2 weeks Ovett had run 4 races, including 2 wins over 800m, a mile WR in Koblenz and a gold medal win in the World Cup 1500m. That last race was in Rome just 4 days earlier, when he comfortably defeated Maree, who finished 5th!
