The Flag Handover ceremony at the 2025 World Athletics Championships saw Tokyo pass the proverbial baton to the 2027 hosts, Beijing. And it has been yet another successful event organized by the World Athletics under the leadership of Sebastian Coe.

To be honest, it doesn’t come as a surprise, given the rich experience he has garnered, heading some important sporting associations and even government offices over the course of his life. To name a few, Coe has been the chairman of the British Olympic Association, the Paralympic Games, and the London Organising Committee of the Olympics. And he had even been on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Coordination Commission.

And before all that, Sebastian Coe was obviously the iconic runner from Great Britain who had won multiple Olympic golds and set world records in the 800m and 1500m distances. Sebastian Coe has been the head of World Athletics since 2015 (then IAAF). So, let’s look into the World Athletics chief’s life story, his beginnings, his achievements, and other aspects of his life.

Sebastian Coe’s early life and background

Born on September 29, 1956, Sebastian Coe hails from Hammersmith, London, England. His father is Peter Coe, an athletics coach who trained his son in his initial phases of his career. Sebastian Coe’s mother was Tina Angela Lal, and he had three siblings: Miranda Coe, Emma Coe, and Nicholas Coe.

After attending Bridgetown Primary School and Hugh Clopton Secondary School, he went to Tapton School, a secondary modern school, and then Abbeydale Grange School. At age 12, he would join the Hallamshire Harriers, an athletic club known for the middle-distance and long-distance categories of track and field. Soon, Sebastian Coe became a middle-distance specialist, inspired by David Jackson, a geography teacher at Tapton School who had also been a cross-country runner.

Coe studied economics and social history at Loughborough University, during which his track career took full speed. In 1977, he won his first major race in an 800m race at the European Indoor Championships in Spain. Since then, there has been no looking back.

What are Sebastian Coe’s top athletic achievements?

• Sebastian Coe set 12 world records during his athletics career. He broke the 1500m world record in Zurich, Switzerland, running 3:32.1 seconds in 1979. He also held the world record in the 800m, running 1:42.4 in 1979 before improving it to 1:41.73 in 1981.
• He has won 2 Olympic gold medals (1500m race at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics) and 2 silvers (800m races at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics). He became the only athlete to win a gold medal in the 1500m in two consecutive Olympics.
• He has also won 1 World Athletics Championships gold (800m in 1986 Stuttgart), 2 silvers (800m in the 1982 Athens and 1500m in the 1986 Stuttgart), and a bronze (800m in 1978 Prague).
• In addition to that, he has a Gold (800m in 1981 Rome) and a silver (1500m in 1989 Barcelona) at the World Cups

In 2013, Coe received his Companion of Honour for his exemplary leadership in organizing the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

What is Sebastian Coe’s net worth?

Sources cite his net worth to be at least $50 million. This money is the cumulative of his earnings since his sprinting days. This includes earnings from prize money, sponsorships, and then salaried tenure with various organization bodies. He has also earned from his other engagements, like modeling for Horne Bros or making appearances in sitcoms and TV shows. Let’s take a brief look at his earnings below:

• £100,000 a year as a Nike ambassador.
• £144,854 – Non-Executive Director of Fortescue Metals
• £365,507 – chairman of the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympics (took £500-1000 per committee meeting)
• £37,697 per month while being a member of the International Olympic Committee.
• £150,000 annual bonus while holding certain offices.

Who is Sebastian Coe married to? Does he have kids?

Currently, the World Athletics head is unmarried, although he had been dating accomplished businesswoman and former triathlete Sarah Robarts. Coe has been married twice. He married badminton champion Nicky McIrvine in 1990 and was together for 12 years. They had four kids: Alice, Peter, Madeleine, and Harry Coe.

After the split in 2002, Sebastian Coe married again in 2011. He was married to journalist Carole Annett for almost 9 years, separating in early 2020. Later that year, he met Robarts. They had even been engaged before calling it quits. Then, in 2022, Coe and Robarts got back together to rekindle their love.