best distance runner to never win an olympic medal

lasse viren

Clarke without question, is the best distance runner never to win gold. He was absolutely dominant at a range of distances for a long period of time when there was very little money in the sport compared to today.

Ryun and Komen would probably take gold and silver here.

As far as to never win a single medal?

I am sure some 4th place Kenyan steeplechaser or Ethiopian 10k guy would take that distinction.

Paula Radcliffe.

Paging Doctor Irony... wrote:

lasse viren

That's not irony, that's just plain stupidity.

Kipketer.

How about Arturo? WR holder at the time of his 4th and 5th's in 88' and 92'.

Here's my order:

1. Henry Rono

2. Sandor Iharos

3. Jerzy Chromik

4. Daniel Komen

5. Bernard Barmasai

6. Arturo Barrios

7. Fernando Mamede

8. Viljo Heino

9. Stephen Cherono/Saif Saeed Shaheen

10. Yobes Ondieki

11. Kerry O'Brien

12. Dave Bedford

13. Henry Marsh

14. Roger Bannister

15. Sydney Maree

16. Gunnar Nielsen

17. Stanislav Jungwirth

18. Dan Waern

19. Pentti Karvonen

20. Wes Santee

21. Patrick Sang

22. Dave Moorcroft

23. Franz-Joseph Kemper

24. Chris Chataway

25. Laszlo Tabori

what about eamon coghlan (i'm sorry, i probably butchered his name)? he came in fourth a few times. i belive he's the only master's division runner to break a 4 minute mile too.

Jaffa wrote:

Paging Doctor Irony... wrote:

lasse viren

That's not irony, that's just plain stupidity.

then who did prefontaine beat when he won all those medals?

Rob DeCastella

Paging Doctor Irony... wrote:

then who did prefontaine beat when he won all those medals?

Wha?

No1 is Komen without a doubt,

then Radcliffe

Shaheen

Dinkessa

Wanjiru

N.Kemboi

Boulami

Khannouchi

Rutto

Baala

...

Craig Virgin

Mr. Virgin had the best chance to win a medal in 1980(if not the GOLD).

Let's look at the facts for this 10,000 meter runner.

Olympic year 1980.....what would your conclusion be?...HUD?

1. Rated number one in the world 1980

2. Had best time in the world 1980

3. Won the World XC championship in 1980!....and 1981(all the best where there!)

4. You can argue he had one of the greatest three years of running and competing that the world has ever seen between 1979 to 1981. His prime being in 1980.

........During that three year period he accomplished something that may never happen again. By anyone!. He won every major road race at least once. Peachtree, bay to breakers, Falmouth, Cresent City, and Bloomsday Run (there where more). Who else can make that claim?....not even the Africans! During his era these where the most competived races in the world!....there was no USATF road races for Americans....so everyone was there!......sometimes 30 or 40 deep of the best runners in the world!...and yes sometimes Craig was even little cocky about his chances of winning.....and he did win!...allot....maybe he was still a little sour about the boycott!...so he had alot to prove to himself....Hell!....he even tried the Boston Marathon during this time......so he tried it.....he didnt win it.....but he finished second and beat the great Bill Rogers on his own turf!....and running 2:10.30...not bad for his second marathon!

...so...I could go on about more of his victories, winning races, and competing in the 1980's but my conclusion is he would of won a medal for sure if not winning the gold!.....

.....his resume is to long.....I didnt even mention his Track accomplishment's during this time.....

.....there will never be justice for the distance runners and other athlete's who sacrifice everthing for there country and lively-hood to peek for that Olympic race......consequently Craig Virgin will never get his due and never be a house name like Frank Shorter and Bill Rogers.....I guess sometimes you just have to be lucky and be at the right place and at the right time......

Conclusion......He was the "best distance runner to never win an Olympic medal"

One other thing I forgot to mention.....There where no World Track and Field championships during this era!.....So American Road races where it if you wanted to race against the best in the world outside the Olympics and World XC championships.....so I say again road racing in the late 70's and early 80's where the most competived races in the world....for that time and era.

and Virgin won them all at least once!....unbelievable!

no wrote:

Henry Rono. Case closed.

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reply:

I totally agree!

I will add that the "best" American distance runner to not win an Olympic medal would be Craig Virgin. The "best" American middle distance runner would be Steve Scott.

I vote for Paula - but there are many other great runners not to have won Olympic medals, as many have pointed out. And this thread proves that OG medals are not the only measure of greatness - so I'll add a few other names; Jim Peters, Steve Jones and Dave Moorcroft.

If you're looking at athletes from way back, it would be hard to ignore Arne Andersson and Gunder Hagg.

I realize this site is primarily about men's running, but I don't see how Ingrid Kristiansen can be overlooked in this category.