The former Sheffield steel engineer death followed a short illness.

As an unconventional but inspirational mentor, Peter coached his son into a world-record-breaking, Olympic gold-winning middle-distance runner, arguably the greatest of all time.

An east Londoner, born close to the proposed site of the 2012 Olympic Stadium, Peter survived when his merchant navy ship was torpedoed in the Atlantic during World War II.

After the war he moved his family from Middlesex to the Broomhill area of Sheffield, where he worked as a production engineer for a steel cutlery company.

His passion was cycling and he had no experience of athletics before his son showed promise in the sport. He became dissatisfied with the progress Coe was making as a 12-year-old middle-distance runner, calling the coaching methods "outdated". He took over, applying his logical brain to biomechanics and translating East German and Russian text books on physiology.

Peter reinvented the approach to middle distance running, scrapping the long runs in favour of shorter, more intense sprints that boosted Seb's fitness and helped the runner, from Hallamshire Harriers athletics club in Sheffield, to go on to win Gold in the 1500m at the Moscow and LA games in 1980 and 1984.

British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said Peter Coe was one of the best coaches he had seen.

"In the world of coaching and inspiring and influencing there are few men in the history of British athletics of whom it could be said that they were truly among the greatest. He had a quiet determination and concentration on detail," he said.

"Peter Coe's contribution to Seb's success, to British athletics and to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him was always of gold medal standard."

Peter and Sebastian Coe co-wrote two books about athletics coaching.

Leave your tribute to Peter Coe by adding a comment below.

owls forever
I was a follower of Seb's achievements back in the 80's and I was unaware of his fathers involvement in coaching him. What an amazing man! Without his influence British athletics would never have been so successful. RIP Peter Coe