Bring Back the 880 wrote:
newname wrote:Kimetto now holds the WR for a debut marathon (2:04:16).
Kimetto now holds the WR for the marathon (2:02:57).
Kimetto is the first man under 2:03:00.
Kimetto now holds the CR in Berlin (2:02:57 WR), and has won and placed 2nd.
Kimetto now holds the CR in Tokyo (2:06:50).
Kimetto now holds the CR in Chicago (2:03:45).
Really what is left to be the current "greatest of all-time"? Geb seemed to have that nailed, despite no championship medals. Then Wanjiru seemed to inherit that mantle (deservedly so after the OR in 2008), Then Geoffrey Mutai seemed destined for that moving target.
If he could win London and a global Champs race, then I think he is the greatest active marathoner. Wanjiru and Geb are now out of that conversation.
I don't think winning London (a paced marathon on a fast course - something he has already proven great at) proves a whole lot for Kimetto at this point. A win at a global champs, Boston, or NY, and/or a win at a race with difficult hot conditions would prove much more.
Currently he looks like he is the best, but Kipsang and G. Mutai could still possibly be just as good.
I think London 2015 is likely to be a real shoot out featuring pretty much all the major players [Kimetto, Kipsang, G Mutai, E Mutai, K Bekele, Kipchoge, Kebede, etc] gunning for the "softest" of the major CRs - it's "only" 2:04:29. I'm pretty sure all of these guys see winning London + setting the CR there as a bigger deal than winning worlds [+ it would certainly be possible to try doing both, although AK may try to prevent the top Kenyans from attempting it.]