LetsRun.com's 2016 World and US Rankings

LRC supervisitor David Graham has rolled out his 2016 world rankings plus plenty more thoughts on the year in men's marathoning. Obviously the great Kipchoge is #1, but where does Rupp rank?

Sumgong, like Eliud Kipchoge, was the unquestioned world #1 in 2016. Flanagan was one of three Americans to finish in the top 10 at the Olympics (Amy Cragg and Desi Linden were the others) -- only the second time a country had pulled off that feat (after Kenya in 2008).

Ayana may not have earned Olympic gold in the 5,000, but she was utterly dominant apart from that, breaking 14:20 three times in 2016 (before this year, it had been done six times, total). U.S. #1 was a tough choice as Shannon Rowbury earned 3k bronze at World Indoors and set the American 5k record while Molly Huddle crushed everyone in the 5k at the Olympic Trials.

Farah's presence at the top of the podium in Rio was no surprise, but few envisioned Chelimo, who was just 11th at USAs last year, winning America's first Olympic medal in the 5,000 since 1964 and two other Americans cracking the world top 10.
*MB: What a year for Team USA! Three American men make our World Top 10 in our 3000/5000 rankings.

Jebet won Olympic gold, crushed the world record and put together the greatest season ever by a women's steepler. Coburn has dominated the U.S. scene for years and took it one step further in 2016 by winning her first Olympic medal.

We highly praise Conseslus Kipruto who unseated the GOAT, Ezekiel Kemboi, at the Olympics, and had one of the greatest years in steeplechase history. At just 22 years old, Kipruto could stay at the top for some time. We also give out accolades for the amazing career that Paul Kipsiele Koech enjoyed.

Kipyegon broke the Kenyan record twice this year, won the Olympic title with ease and became just the second woman in history to break 3:57 three times in one year. Last year, Simpson's medal chances went up in smoke when her shoe came off in the WC final. This year, with her shoes on, she took bronze in Rio.

Asbel Kiprop may have run the world's fastest time by over a second (3:29.33) and won four Diamond League races, but for the first time since 1971, an American man is the #1 ranked miler in the world as we can't pick against a near-perfect season from Centro that included victories at World Indoors and the Olympics and a world-leading time in the mile (3:50.63).

There may be a debate about whether Caster Semenya should be allowed to compete, but there was no debate about who the best women's 800 runner was in 2016. American Kate Grace returned from injury with a career year, fulfilling her "dream, dream goal" of making the Olympic final in Rio, but was that enough to crack our world top 10?

The greatest 800 runner ever is our pick for #1 again. There are two Americans in the top 10, but where do Murphy and World Indoor champ Boris Berian rank against the world's best?