Athletics of yesterday was easier than Athletics of today. We must think that, when Paavo Nurmi, or Gunder Haegg, or Emil Zatopek were the best, Africa was not yet running in official competitions.
So, I think that Gebre is the best all time, winning always, in a more difficult period of athletics.
A summary of his honors is incredible :
WORLD TITLES :
1 in 1500m indoor (1999)
3 in 3000m indoor (1997 - 1999 - 2003)
4 in 10000m (1993 - 95 - 97 - 99)
1 in Half Marathon (2001)
OLYMPIC TITLES :
2 in 10000m (1996 - 2000)
SILVER MEDALS IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS :
1 in 5000m (1993)
1 in 10000m (2003)
BRONZE MEDAL IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS :
1 in 10000m (2001)
1 in Cross (1994)
WORLD JUNIOR TITLES :
1 in 5000m (1992)
1 in 10000m (1992)
SILVER MEDALS IN WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS :
1 in Cross (1992)
WORLD OUTDOOR RECORDS :
4 in 5000m (12:56.96 in '94 - 12:44.39 in '95 -
12:41.86 in '97 - 12:39.36 in '98)
3 in 10000m (26:43.53 in '95 - 26:31.32 in '97 -
26:22.75 in '98)
WORLD INDOOR RECORDS :
1 in 2000m (4:52.86 in '98)
2 in 3000m (7:30.72 in '96 - 7:26.15 in '98)
1 in 2 Miles (8:04.69 in '03)
3 in 5000m (13:10.98 in '96 - 12:59.04 in '97 -
12:50.38 in '99)
WORLD BEST OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES :
2 in 2 Miles (8:07.46 in '95 - 8:01.08 in '98)
WORLD ROAD RECORD :
1 in 10 km (27:02 in 2002)
PERSONAL BESTS :
800m indoor : 1:49.35 (1997)
1500m indoor : 3:31.76 (1998)
1500m outdoor : 3:33.73 (1999)
1 Mile outdoor : 3:52.39 (1999)
2000m indoor : 4:52.86 (1998) WR
2000m outdoor : 4:56.1 (1997)
3000m indoor : 7:26.15 (1998)
3000m outdoor : 7:25.09 (1998)
2 Miles indoor : 8:04.69 (2003) WR
2 Miles outdoor : 8:01.08 (1998)
5000m indoor : 12:50.38 (1999) WR
5000m outdoor : 12:39.36 (1998) WR
10000m (track) : 26:22.75 (1998) WR
10 km (road) : 27:02 (2002) WR
15 km (road) : 41:38 (2001)
HM : 59:41 (2002)
Marathon : 2:06:35 (2002)
I think that nobody can have in his career so many medals and so many world records, lasting long time. Many years ago, top athletes could concentrate only in OG, and not many competitions every year. Now, it's very more difficult to last long time, as the activity is continuous and without rest. So, if we want to see Gebre's career by years, we can see his continuity :
1992 : World Junior Champion in 5000/10000, silver in Cross
1993 : World Champion in 10000, silver in 5000
1994 : World record 5000, bronze in WCCCh
1995 : World Champion 10000, World Record 2M/5000/10000
1996 : Olympic Ch. 10000, World Indoor Record 3000/5000
1997 : World Champion 10000, World Indoor Ch. 3000,
World Indoor Record 5000, World Record 5000/10000
1998 : World Indoor Record 2000/3000, World Record
2M/5000/10000
1999 : World Champion 10000, World Indoor Champion
1500/3000, World Indoor Record 5000
2000 : Olympic Champion 10000
2001 : World Champion HM, Bronze WCh 10000
2002 : 2:06:35 in Marathon, 59:41 in HM
2003 : World Indoor Champion 3000, World Indoor Record 2M,
Silver WCh 10000, World Record 10 km road.
So, no match with every other distance runner, from the beginning of Athletics.