In this article, Neil Featherby discusses the remarkable life of Andrew Coe, who is known for his family’s photographic company based in Norwich. Coe was born in London in 1941 and was adopted by the Coe family in Norfolk at a young age. His father was a wireless operator during World War Two and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross medal. Coe attended school in Uppingham and despite the school’s lack of focus on athletics, he sneaked out to compete in races and even became the Norfolk County Junior mile champion in 1959. After leaving school, Coe attended Borough Road College, where his athletic career reached new heights, training with legendary athletes and coaches.
Unfortunately, at the age of 26, Coe’s athletic career was cut short due to an Achilles tendon injury that required surgery. Despite this setback, his love for athletics never waned, and he has been to every Olympic Games since 1988 as well as serving as the official British Team photographer at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. In 2021 at the age of 78, Coe took up running again and surprised everyone by winning a bronze medal for 800 meters at the British Masters Championships in the 80 to 84 age category, 55 years after his last athletic competition. Coe attributes his success to his training and the support of his coaches and peers.
Looking ahead, Coe has no intention of retiring from his business or his running. He has several upcoming competitions including the British Indoor Championships and European Championships. He believes that age should not limit one’s ambitions and is excited to continue pushing himself to improve his race times. Neil Featherby points out that Coe’s approach to running mirrors his approach to business – always forward-looking and ambitious. To conclude, Featherby notes that he learned from Coe that he was also a speedway rider, showing that Coe has always lived his life with passion and a thirst for new experiences, and hopes to inspire readers to maintain their ambition and set goals for themselves regardless of age.
