If T&F had a Nobel Prize for innovation, who would have some hardware?

Interesting choice, but probably too much of an oddball and too dependent on the short career of one athlete, Herb Elliott. I'm surprised not to see mention of Lydiard, who seems far and away the top choice among all coaches in track and field, and perhaps my top choice among coaches in any and all sports.

Fosbury and whoever deserves the credit for spinning in shot and discus.

Lydiard, Zatopek, Bannister

I thought of naming Bannister for ruining the sport with ridiculous pacing schemes to chase records. (His 4:02 fraud in 1953, appropriately resulting in his disqualification, was classic Bannister.) Otherwise, he's received far too much attention already.

No it's not, or it would have been banned. I didn't even state the amount of current or voltage.

Ummmm ever read the 4 minute mile?

The Trackbot developer(s).

I am pretty sure her legal name was Evelyn but her friends called Eva.

Mr. Fosbury for inventing the Fosbury flop is a great answer, but it's not the winner.

The inventor of FAT, Gustavous Town Kirby, deserves the top prize. Initially invented the timing system to get the order of horses in horses races correct.

Zatopek. I think he's the father of modern training. Both Cerutty and Lydiard were inspired by him. Someone mentioned Dick Fosbury for the high jump. I agree. And Fred Lebow who essentially invented the modern big city marathon.

Bill Bowerman. I remember when Nike waffles first came out, it truly changed the way we race and train to this day.

Harry Gill

Track Equipment innovator

usatf.org

USA Track & Field | Harry Gill

Link:www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/harry-gill

Nike engineers (Vaporfly) and whoever created synthetic EPO

Jeff Galloway

The person who invented the nets for the hammer throw might be the only one who has saved lives.

The book was almost unavoidable when I was a kid. (Bannister first had it published under the title "First Four Minutes"; it was later released under the title "The Four-Minute Mile.") Chris Brasher, his long-time friend and pacer, would later say that Bannister, in his book, "wrote the dream instead of the reality," particularly with respect to Bannister's delusion of self-reliance in preparing for and running that ridiculous time trial. Although "The Four-Minute Mile" may be useful for acquiring some insight into some aspects of Bannister's psychological makeup, I wouldn't take Bannister's word for anything, nor would I trust any of the many hagiographic reflections of others about the man or his rather dubious (and grossly inflated) accomplishments, and I think his own later dismissals of the superior sporting accomplishments of African runners in particular say much about how he saw the world and himself.

A considerably more penetrating work is John Bale's 2004 book, "Roger Bannister and the Four-Minute Mile: Sports Myth and Sports History," which also provides some additional sources worth noting. I also found it helpful to see some of the comments in Filbert Bayi's recent (2022) book (notably co-authored by Myles Schrag), "Catch Me if You Can: Revolutionizing My Sport, Breaking World Records, and Creating a Legacy for Tanzania." Bayi, though expressing friendship and admiration for Bannister, speaks at length about his own disapproval of paced records, and quotes Pat Butcher's 2004 Guardian article explicitly blaming the now-rampant use of pacers and the IAAF's eventual abandonment of the "honest competition" rule on Bannister, who, after his notoriously unethical use of pacing in his 4:02 mile in 1953 (for which he was disqualified and denied a national record), "finessed" the tactic for his Iffley Road performance. According to Butcher, "Bannister's run is one of the worst things that ever happened to athletics. Far from being an admirable feat, it was cosy, conniving and dishonest. Its seminal contribution to sport has been to ruin middle-distance running worldwide."

I could go on in much greater about Bannister's shortcomings and the revisionist work of his fans, assistants, and perhaps co-conspirators (including the British sports authorities and the British press, including the McWhirter twins). I probably idolized him when I was a kid; I now consider him as unworthy of praise as a number of other members of Great Britain's royalty.

So someone who wins the prize without really accomplishing anything at the time the prize was given?

Sean Brosnan for setting a new standard of fast high school running.

Without a doubt. Jim Fixx.

He essentially single-handedly inspired millions to lose weight, stop smoking and get out and exercise. Making running a cool thing to do. Sparking not just a fitness fad, but a way of life and paving the way for people all over the world to begin their running journeys.

Jim himself was a two-pack per day smoker before he started running and was overweight. He stopped smoking and lost 60 pounds. Ironically, he died of a heart attack while on a run at the age of 52. Awkward, I know. However, his work was done. Millions inspired and healthier themselves. (I myself had an original copy of his book The Complete Book of Running from back in the day and he was part of my early-day motivation).

Far more people run in this modern age and live healthier lives than they did back in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Due certainly in part to the inspiration of Jim Fixx.

You mean the Youngs and Sahlmans. I think they are the ones who ran so fast, not the coach.