Ovett's first major athletics title came in 1973, when he won the 800 metres at the 1973 European Athletics Junior Championships. The following year, still only aged 18, he won the silver medal at 800 metres in the 1974 European Athletics Championships, setting a new European Junior 800m record of 1:45.77 in the process. Ovett won AAA titles in the 800m from 1974 to 1976; he would later add to these AAA titles by winning the 1500m in 1979 and the mile in 1980.