At least 3 of these athletes had very short careers, though. Fairchild didn't exactly have a decent pro career. Ryun and Lindgren were really only good a few years beyond high school, but not really consistently, right?
The mere implication that Lindgren and Ryun were not successful post high school would render any further opinion from you on this subject completely worthless.
Marty Liquori had multiple Top 3 in the World rankings, only injuries derailed Olympic stuff. And today? People on here would be converting Ryun's 3:37.x silver at 7200 feet to some absurd number like 3:30
Biggest issue is LR definition of phenom. Being the best in your year, or even winning even multiple NCAA titles doesn't necessarily qualify, you have to be completely dominant - head and shoulders above everyone else for multiple years. Then preferably go international at an absurdly young age. Mary Decker was the template.
Steve Prefontaine, Craig Virgin and if we are just talking high school aged runners internationally, of course Jakob Ingebrigtsen and there are a plethora or East African 17 and 18 year old's who have done extremely well as juniors and later as pro runners i.e., Selemon Barega, Ismael Kirui , Haile Gebrselassie, many, many others.
Flanagan never made Footlocker. So do we still count that as HS superstar? Certainly was good and had an excellent pro career and college career. But in the 90s footlocker was the one thing to make to be good.
Steve Prefontaine, Craig Virgin and if we are just talking high school aged runners internationally, of course Jakob Ingebrigtsen and there are a plethora or East African 17 and 18 year old's who have done extremely well as juniors and later as pro runners i.e., Selemon Barega, Ismael Kirui , Haile Gebrselassie, many, many others.
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