1. Early Life and Background
Allan Wells' formative years involved both academic pursuits and an early introduction to various athletic disciplines before he fully dedicated himself to sprinting.
1.1. Childhood and Education
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Allan Wells received his early education at Fernieside Primary School, followed by his secondary education at Liberton High School. At the age of 15, he concluded his formal schooling to embark on an engineering apprenticeship, signaling an early start to his professional life beyond athletics.
1.2. Early Athletic Activities
Before specializing in sprint events, Wells initially focused on jumping disciplines within track and field. He was a notable competitor in both triple jump and long jump, demonstrating diverse athletic talent. In 1974, his prowess in these events led him to become the Scottish indoor long jump champion, marking an early significant achievement in his athletic career prior to his transition to sprinting.
2. Athletic Career
Allan Wells' athletic career is defined by his remarkable success in sprint events, particularly his Olympic triumph and numerous victories at major international competitions. His career spanned from his transition to sprinting in the mid-1970s through a decade of competitive excellence, culminating in his retirement in the mid-1980s.
2.1. Transition to Sprints and Early Success
Wells made a decisive shift to concentrating on sprint events in 1976. His dedication quickly yielded results, as he secured the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) Indoor 60 metres title in 1977. In the same year, he earned his first of seven outdoor Scottish sprint titles, firmly establishing himself as a formidable presence in the British sprinting scene.
The 1978 season further showcased his rapidly improving performance. Wells set a new British record in the 100 metres with a time of 10.29 seconds at Gateshead, where he notably defeated esteemed competitors Don Quarrie and James Sanford. He also claimed victories in both the 100 metres and 200 metres at the UK Championships. At the 1978 Commonwealth Games held in Edmonton, Canada, Wells continued his medal-winning streak, earning a gold medal in the 200 metres and a silver medal in the 100 metres with a time of 10.07 seconds. He was also a crucial member of the Scottish 4 × 100 metres relay team that secured a gold medal with a time of 39.24 seconds, running the second leg alongside Drew McMaster, David Jenkins, and Cameron Sharp. At the 1978 European Athletics Championships in Prague, he finished sixth in the 100 metres with a time of 10.45 seconds.
His success extended into 1979, where at the European Cup in Turin, Italy, Wells won the 200 metres, impressively beating the new world record holder Pietro Mennea on his home ground. He also achieved a bronze medal in the 100 metres at the same event.
2.2. 1980 Moscow Olympics
The 1980 Moscow Olympics represented the pinnacle of Wells' career, marked by both significant challenges and extraordinary achievements. Prior to the games, Wells won the AAA's 100 metres title. His preparation for the Olympics, conducted on the Côte d'Azur, was distinctive as he had never used starting blocks until a rule change mandated their use for the Moscow Games.
Wells faced considerable external and personal pressures leading up to the Olympics. He was subjected to political pressure from then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to boycott the games, aligning with the American-led boycott. In response, Wells chose to decline all media requests, maintaining focus on his training. Further complicating his preparations, he suffered from chronic back pain shortly before the games, necessitating four exhausting daily treatment sessions that prevented him from traditional training. Instead, he opted for relaxation when not undergoing treatment, a strategy he later attributed to his success, stating it left him "really fresh and committed" and provided a psychological edge.
In Moscow, Wells demonstrated exceptional form. He set a new British record of 10.11 seconds in qualifying for the 100 metres final. The final was a dramatic photo finish against pre-race favourite Silvio Leonard of Cuba. Wells secured the gold medal with an extreme lean, allowing his head and shoulder to cross the finish line by 3 in ahead of Leonard's chest. Both athletes were officially credited with a time of 10.25 seconds. At 28 years and 83 days old, Wells became the oldest Olympic 100 metres champion at that time.
The 200 metres final also proved to be a closely contested race. Wells earned the silver medal, finishing just 0.02 seconds behind Pietro Mennea, clocking 20.21 seconds. In this race, he set another British record. He achieved a third British record of 38.62 seconds as a member of the sprint relay team, which finished fourth in the final.
Following the Moscow Olympics, some questioned the value of Wells' gold medal due to the boycott. To address these doubts, Wells accepted an invitation to compete against the best American sprinters at the ASV Weltklasse track meeting in Cologne, West Germany. Less than two weeks after his Olympic victory, he won the 100 metres final in Cologne with a time of 10.19 seconds, defeating prominent American sprinters including Stanley Floyd (10.21s), Mel Lattany (10.25s), Carl Lewis (10.30s), and Harvey Glance (10.31s). Mel Lattany notably acknowledged Wells' legitimate claim to the Olympic title after the race. At the end of 1980, Wells was honored as the Scottish Sports Personality of the Year.
2.3. Post-Olympic Achievements
Wells' success continued into 1981, beginning with a tour of Australia and New Zealand. He then secured another gold medal at the European Cup in the 100 metres, defeating East German Frank Emmelmann, and also finished second in the 200 metres.
His impressive performances continued at the "IAAF Golden Sprints" in Berlin, which was a premier sprint meeting that year. Although he finished second in the 100 metres by 0.01 seconds to French sprinter Hermann Panzo, Wells dominated the 200 metres, beating top American sprinters Mel Lattany, Jeff Phillips, Stanley Floyd, and Steve Williams, as well as Canadian Ben Johnson in the 100/200 events, with times of 10.15 seconds and 20.15 seconds (the 200m race had a wind assist), to win the overall event with an aggregate time of 30.30 seconds.
Later that year, Wells won the 100 metres at the 1981 IAAF World Cup in Rome, again defeating Carl Lewis, clocking 10.20 seconds. He subsequently placed second in the World Cup 200 metres with a time of 20.53 seconds. He once more triumphed over Mel Lattany and Stanley Floyd in the 200 metres at the Memorial Van Damme meeting in Brussels, Belgium, recording a time of 20.26 seconds.
2.4. Later Career and Retirement
Wells' later sprinting career saw continued competition and achievements despite recurring challenges. In 1982, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, he added two more Commonwealth Games titles to his name. He won the 100 metres with a wind-assisted time of 10.02 seconds, and the 200 metres in a rare dead heat with Mike McFarlane of England, both clocking 20.43 seconds. He also earned a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay with a time of 39.33 seconds.
In 1983, Wells secured his third European Cup title by winning the 200 metres in 20.72 seconds in London, once again overcoming his old adversary Pietro Mennea. He also finished second in the 100 metres. Later that year, he competed at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, where he placed fourth in both the 100 metres (10.27s) and 200 metres (20.52s) sprint finals.
At the age of 32, Wells participated in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, reaching the 100 metres semi-finals. He was also a member of the British 4 × 100 metres relay team that finished seventh in the final with a time of 39.13 seconds.
Wells missed most of the 1985 season due to injury. Despite not being selected for the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh because he failed to compete at the Scottish trials, he demonstrated his enduring form on August 5 at Gateshead, where he defeated both Ben Johnson and Atlee Mahorn, the respective Commonwealth 100 metres and 200 metres champions, with a time of 10.40 seconds. During this period, Wells gained additional public attention for being one of the first athletes to sport Lycra running shorts, which led to him being comically dubbed "Wilson of the Wizard" by the media, referencing a comic book character.
Wells was subsequently selected for the 1986 European Athletics Championships in Stuttgart, where he placed fifth in both the 100 metres (10.24s) and 200 metres (20.89s) finals. Towards the end of 1986, he achieved a victory against Linford Christie in the 100 metres at Crystal Palace, clocking 10.31 seconds. One of his final competitive victories was winning the 100 metres/200 metres double at the Inverness Highland Games in 1987. Although he qualified for the Rome World Championships in 1987 with a best time of 10.28 seconds, he was ultimately sidelined by injury.
Throughout his later career, Wells battled repeated back injuries. Despite these setbacks, he amassed a career total of 18 medals at major championships before his retirement in his mid-30s. Along with sprinters like Don Quarrie and Pietro Mennea, Wells contributed to a trend in the late 1980s of sprinters continuing to compete longer into their mid-thirties.
2.4.1. Major Achievements
| Year | Competition | Location | Event | Result | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Commonwealth Games | Edmonton (Canada) | 100m | 2nd | 10.07s |
| 1978 | Commonwealth Games | Edmonton (Canada) | 200m | 1st | 20.12s |
| 1978 | Commonwealth Games | Edmonton (Canada) | 4×100m relay | 1st | 39.24s |
| 1978 | European Athletics Championships | Prague (Czechoslovakia) | 100m | 6th | 10.45s |
| 1980 | Olympics | Moscow (Soviet Union) | 100m | 1st | 10.25s |
| 1980 | Olympics | Moscow (Soviet Union) | 200m | 2nd | 20.21s |
| 1980 | Olympics | Moscow (Soviet Union) | 4×100m relay | 4th | 38.62s |
| 1981 | IAAF World Cup | Rome (Italy) | 100m | 1st | 10.20s |
| 1981 | IAAF World Cup | Rome (Italy) | 200m | 2nd | 20.53s |
| 1982 | Commonwealth Games | Brisbane (Australia) | 100m | 1st | 10.02s |
| 1982 | Commonwealth Games | Brisbane (Australia) | 200m | 1st | 20.43s |
| 1982 | Commonwealth Games | Brisbane (Australia) | 4×100m relay | 3rd | 39.33s |
| 1983 | World Championships in Athletics | Helsinki (Finland) | 100m | 4th | 10.27s |
| 1983 | World Championships in Athletics | Helsinki (Finland) | 200m | 4th | 20.52s |
| 1984 | Olympics | Los Angeles (United States) | 4×100m relay | 7th | 39.13s |
| 1986 | European Athletics Championships | Stuttgart (West Germany) | 100m | 5th | 10.24s |
| 1986 | European Athletics Championships | Stuttgart (West Germany) | 200m | 5th | 20.89s |
3. Life After Competitive Retirement
Following his retirement from competitive sprinting, Allan Wells transitioned into new roles, continuing to engage with the world of sports and pursuing other professional interests.
Since 1982, Wells has resided in Surrey, England, with his wife, Margot Wells, who was also a Scottish 100 metres and 100 metres hurdles champion. After concluding his own competitive career, Allan Wells served as a coach for the British bobsleigh team. He is now a retired systems engineer, while Margot works as a fitness consultant, with their base in Guildford, Surrey. Allan also contributed his expertise by coaching the Bank of Scotland specialist sprint squad alongside another former Scottish sprinter, Ian Mackie.
4. Honours and Awards
Allan Wells has received significant recognition for his contributions to athletics throughout and after his competitive career.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1982 Birthday Honours, acknowledging his distinguished services to athletics. Wells was also inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, joining other esteemed Scottish Olympic athletic champions such as Eric Liddell and Wyndham Halswelle.
In October 2013, Wells was given the distinguished role of being the first baton holder for the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, commencing its journey from Buckingham Palace in London. In July 2014, both Allan Wells and his wife, Margot, were awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Edinburgh Napier University, further commemorating their enduring impact on sports and fitness.
5. Legacy and Reception
Allan Wells' legacy in athletics is multifaceted, encompassing his enduring records, his influence on the sport, and a notable controversy that surfaced later in his life.
5.1. Records and Influence
Wells' personal best time for the 100 metres is 10.11 seconds, and for the 200 metres, it is 20.21 seconds, both of which were achieved at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. These times continue to stand as Scottish national records. He also recorded a wind-assisted time of 10.02 seconds in the 100 metres at Brisbane in 1982, which remains a track record as of August 2024, shared with Rohan Browning. Additionally, he ran a wind-assisted 20.11 seconds in the 200 metres in Edinburgh in 1980. As of August 2024, Wells also holds two wind-assisted track records for the 200 metres: 20.29 seconds (+4.9 mph (2.2 m/s) wind) in Turin in 1979 and 20.26 seconds (+19 mph (8.5 m/s) wind) in Venice in 1981. His consistent performance and longevity in the sport, competing effectively into his mid-thirties, set a precedent for later generations of sprinters.
5.2. Controversies
In June 2015, a BBC documentary titled Panorama: Catch Me If You Can brought to light allegations of historical doping against Allan Wells. A former teammate claimed that Wells had used performance-enhancing drugs starting in 1977. However, Allan Wells publicly denied these allegations.