Has Bekele just legitimised his WRs? Clean? GOAT?

CrossFan wrote:

I'm not sure how this affects the debate, but one thing significant is that Geb had to overcome another GOAT candidate during all of his career. Tergat was many people's top dog before Geb came along. Geb faced Bekele at the end of his career, but he was beyond his peak, and changing his focus from track to roads by that time, so those head-to-head comparisons aren't quite fair.

Really? I don't remember this being the case--in fact, I thought Geb was pretty established prior to Tergat coming on the scene. Geb won World Juniors 10,000 over the infamous Josephat Machuka in '92, then went on to win the '93 WC (I don't think Tergat competed and he wasn't top 3 at the African Champs). Geb also beat him out for bronze at World XC in '94 (Geb also bested him in '93 and won silver in the junior race in '92 and competed in '91--I don't remember Tergat ever competing in the junior race (?), I know he's a few years older than Geb). Tergat of course began his XC domination in '95 to go along with his bronze in the WC 10,000, but Skah was still between him and newly minted two-time champ Geb.

So it seems to me as though Geb was a big name and world champ as of '93, while Tergat was on the rise but not great, then was good in '94, and really rose to Geb's level in '95.

Clerk wrote:

Tests have improved, but not every lab has the same, equipment. It all meets a baseline standard, but some labs are more sensitive than others.

That has only mattered when failed results leaked.

Clerk wrote:

Finally, a urine test can only show what was in an athlete's system that day. With many drugs having fast clearence times, or having their clearence times accelerated by other substances or methods, even an all-knowing, all-seeing test can't detect a drug that has already cleared.

You would fail an IQ test if you show up "hot" for an in-competition urine test.

The reliance on many inexpensive urine tests in competition to make it look like a sports federation is "serious" about anti-doping is one of the more egregious lies told by a federation like the IAAF.

This is the lie that explains Kenyan/Epopian drug testing. Mr. Canova has relied on this half-truth before and the IAAF's own report show it to be a false claim.

Test pool athletes from Kenya/Epopia are doing maybe one blood test a year. Maybe.

CrossFan wrote:

I'm not sure how this affects the debate, but one thing significant is that Geb had to overcome another GOAT candidate during all of his career. Tergat was many people's top dog before Geb came along. Geb faced Bekele at the end of his career, but he was beyond his peak, and changing his focus from track to roads by that time, so those head-to-head comparisons aren't quite fair.

Bekele had competition just as good as Tergat. Sihine, Kipchoge, Geb, El G, Lagat, etc.

Farah however is the one whose competition is lacking.

Trackbot! VDOT 4:22 1.6km

VDOT for 4:22 1.6km: 68.7

Equivalent race times based on VDOT:

Marathon: 02:25:26

Half marathon: 01:09:26

15K: 00:48:17

10K: 00:31:29

5K: 00:15:09

3Mi: 00:14:36

2Mi: 00:09:25

3200m: 00:09:21

3K: 00:08:43

1Mi: 00:04:24

1600m: 00:04:22

1500m: 00:04:04

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