This is a topic that has been discussed in some of the threads on this board, but it is one that I would like to discuss further. It's endlessly fascinating to debate the topic of who's the greatest distance runner ever, and while Said Aouita would be my pick, it's a highly subjective choice. I guess it depends on what your criteria is (Win-Loss competitive record, World records, Longevity, Titles, Versatility, etc.), and even then how you rank those criteria. For me, essentially a track fan, I could sum up my choice of Aouita by saying that he was one of a few runners who took the matter of "being the best" very seriously. By choosing to run the full range of track distance events, he proved that he was capable of dominating any event if he so chose. Ironically by doing this, he at times spread himself rather thin, and herin lies where it could be argued that he never acheived enough success to be truly called the best in any one event( excepting, obviously, the 5000m). So in 1988, when he was arguably at the height of his potential, he choose to skip the 5000m( an event where he would almost certainly have won), and instead attempt the much more difficult double of 800m/1500m. A lot of people have critized this choice, or called Aouita foolish or egotistical for attempting it. To me, it showed that the most important thing for him was to "take on the best to be the best" , no matter what the risk. Yes, he did dodge Steve Cram and Abdi Bile at times, as many other great rivals have done, but I think Aouita knew that there are times when words don't mean much( even for him!) and you have to put everything on the line. As it turned out, even at face value, Said's "failure" at the Olympics in Seoul in 1988 was still a stunning acheivement, a 5000m champion winning a medal at 800m. So make of what you will, I guess the result is the result. However, I often wonder what the results in the 800m and 1500m would have been had Aouita not had his hamstring injury, if Steve Cram had been at his best, and if Abdi Bile had been present. In the 800m, the presence of a fit Billy Konchellah, the 1987 World Champion, would have been a force to be reckoned with. In the 1500m, I think Aouita would have had the confidence and ability to follow Cram( more closely than in their epic Nice 1985 match) and Bile and outsprint them no matter what the pace. Cram was magnificent in so many races; his world record Mile and 1500m being prime examples of fast times in a real race. Bile was brilliant in the 1987 World Championships, winning with a 1:46.0 last 800( is this still the fastest last two laps ever?). But I honestly think that Aouita wanted the title a little more, not having won a major championship before, and although he built up gradually in his pre-Olympic 1988 season, he seemed to have timed it right, winning all 17 races that season. It would have had to have been a perfect race for any of them to have won it; rarely do such races occur, and it didn't here. As for the 800m, it would have been, I think, an even closer race, if that's possible. Before the 1988 season, even I, as a huge Aouita fan, wasn't too sure he could win big 2-lap events. Yet in the lead-up to Seoul he did just that, defeating the formidable Johny Gray( easily the best man on paper that year) and defending champion Joquim Cruz, not to mention Jose-Luis Barbosa and Peter Elliot(another dark horse in the 1500m). Could even a healthy Aouita beaten Billy Konchellah? Or won in a 1:42-type race? I'll say yes, barely, but any pick for that imaginary 800m would be a slim thing. One of the great what-ifs that we love to think about. Does anyone care to add any comments? I promise not to be so long-winded next time. Thanks.