Although Ngugi dominated XC ... his form left a lot to be desired.
Although Ngugi dominated XC ... his form left a lot to be desired.
Another vote for McCloy. Here's an account of a track 10K he ran with Craig Virgin:
"When Paul did 27:56 he outkicked Craig Virgin at Mt. Sac.
Afterwards Virgin said something like (I don't remember the exact words):
For the first couple of laps I wondered how this guy got into the meet.
For the next eight laps or so, I felt sorry for him whilst admiring someone who was obviously somewhat disabled hanging on for so long.
Eight laps later I began to wonder what was the matter with me. Surely the lap times were screwy - this guy couldn't be going that fast.
A few laps more and I began to really worry about him - but not because there was anything wrong with him!.
With two laps to go, there was no more worrying - I was hanging on - and when he kicked I just watched from behind in amazement."
Dick Buerkle.
Paula Radcliffe and Pat Petersen
Another vote for Paul McCloy. I ran a 10mile race with him about 6 or 7 years ago and sat just off his shoulder. I have never been elbowed accidently so many times in one race!
The thing about Pat Petersen was that while he appeared to rock back and forth, his form was very smooth below the waist.
perfectly formed wrote:
I always thought Sally Barsosio had the worst form amongst the women, or maybe it's just the way she waved her elbows around like weapons.
Lol! Very true!!
Her form was/is so bad, she almost got DISQUALIFIED for being all over the place in the 1993 World Champs!! Sally Borsosio definitely gets my vote.
Michael East, GB, 1500m
leans so far backward it looks he's putting on the brakes.
watching pat peterson run made me seasick
The late Matthews Motswarateu (South Africa), the first man under 28'00 for 10k (road)was commonly known as "Loop en val" (walk and fall)for his forward lean, whilst his arms went barreling from side to side.
I think the worst form would be hard to find... many of the athletes mentioned just have 1small thing that makes them look terrible (ie. Head all over the place), but makes little difference to performance.
The things that are better indicators of poor form are things like over-pronation and stuff to do with hips, knees and stride.... but these are very hard to pick
*Many athletes just adapt to poor form, but because it is more natural, it is a better way for them to go.
Another vote for Conor Holt.
Gotta be...
Men: John Treacy and Emil Zatopek
Women: Paula Radcliff and some elite Japanese woman who ran BOSTON a couple of years ago. She ran the whole way with her arms hanging straight down at her sides.
i saw this guy win the Penn's elite mile a few years ago named Gunther Turnball, goofy white guy who seriously looked dead after trying to hang with the kenyans for the first 200 meters
he looked the exact same when he outkicked them in the last 400m to go 3:57
I recall watching Boston Marathon quite a few years ago and to my astonishment, the guy with the worst running form my eyes have ever witnessed won the bloody race. He answers to the name, LAMECK AGUTA!!!
Al Saladbar.
Donvan Bailey and the U-Washington miler who graduated last year. He broke 4:00, but I cannot recall his name.
i would say Ngugi...but he was amazing
I raced against Paul in university at the Atlantic indoor meets and XC. He had so many gyrations, head bobbing, arms swinging he looked like he was disco dancing drunk, not running. But he ruled Canadian University track and XC in his day. He made 14min in the 5000m look like torture, but he was just fresh as a daisy.
Ahmed Saleh, just to throw another name in... V. efficient, but awful to watch.