Jim Ryun. Running a 3:51 mile as a teen? Four decades ago? Nearly incomprehensible.
Marko Koers. Dutchman won two NCAA 1,500s for Illinois. Nearly won NCAA 800/1,500 double at Eugene in 1996 (second in 800). Seventh in 1996 Olympic 1,500 (after leaping over a fallen Morceli). An elegant runner.
Correction: Over a fallen El G.
Roscoe Divine. Just for the name.
+1 for 430
ryun. then walker. then elliot.
Seb Coe
MARY DECKER !!!
gotta give a shout to webb.....ran 3:46 last year right? f*** thats so close to the wr, i'd really like to see him training with single minded devotion to break el g's time in a year or two. we're going on ten years now since we last had a record and i dont want to see the mile die, it used to be my great love... is there a list of the fastest miles run for each year, has anyone even come close to 3:43 lately?
Hmmm... Manzano has a lot of heart. In general, the ones I really enjoy watching are the ones with the passion to race from the gun and don't wait to kick. I personally have always preferred a fast time over a victory, but getting both is an added bonus.
Waylon wrote:
Quenton Cassidy
That was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw this thread. You beat me to the punch.
For real life, Morceli is my guy.
3:49.38 Andrew Baddeley 2008 3:31.49 Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (1500 better)
3:46.91 Alan Webb 2007 3:30.54 Alan Webb (mile better)
3:50.32 Alex Kipchirchir 2006 3:29.02 Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (1500 better)
3:47.97 Dahame Najem Bashir2005 3:29.30 Bernard Lagat (1500 better)
3:49.84 Paul Korir 2004 3:27.40 Bernard Lagat (1500 better)
3:48.17 Paul Korir 2003 3:28.40 Hicham El Guerrouj (1500 better)
3:48.28 Hicham El Guerrouj 2002 3:26.89 Hicham El Guerrouj (1500 better)
3:47.28 Bernard Lagat 2001 3:28.38 Hicham El Guerrouj (1500 better)
3:45.96 Hicham El Guerrouj 2000 3:27.21 Hicham El Guerrouj (1500 better)
3:43.13 Hicham El Guerrouj 1999 3:27.65 Hicham El Guerrouj (mile better)
James Ronald Ryun.
Tom Byers
Tim Hacker
Whoops the fastest time in '01 was 3:26 something by El G.
Also for the original topic: The Spaniards Gonzalez, Estevez, Abascal and of course Cacho. Winning the 1500m Gold in front of a home crowd has got to be one of the biggest things you can do in athletics.
a lot of great names here.
some more milers that were good.
Peter Snell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB9BqR2lKjU
laban rotich
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laban_Rotich
its kind of funny because they're almost the exact opposite in size.
Laban rotich 5ft 4in - 100lbs
Peter Snell 5ft 10in - 176lbs
fUrCeOsNhN wrote:
...I think Bannister was overrated-European title, World record but no Olympic medals, no longevity and not really dominant. He ran the first sub 4 minute mile but I don't think that should automatically give him a spot in the top ten. On the other hand though you can't exactly call bannister a pretender though-3:59.4, the time speaks for itself.
I do like John Landy's overall attitude a lot more however, he seemed like a really honorable person, there is no other word for it. Like when someone fell in front of him and he accidentally spiked them he went back to see if they were ok. The guy got up said he was fine and Landy started racing again even though he was 40 or 50 yards down on a bunch of 4:03-4:08 guys and eventually won in 4:04.
Two things. First, remember that Bannister actually PRed when he beat Landy, running 3:58.8.
Second, entirely agree about Landy's class. (He *did* medal in an Olympics, though coming off injury at the time.) Did you know that the guy he ran over (in a national championship race, I believe) was...Ron Clarke?
Has to be John Walker. Ran fast, trained hard, partied like a rock star and better 70s hair than Peter Frampton. He was the package.
Steve Ovett FTW
"...he ran so casually! He was class, wasn't he?"
- Peter Coe
Has to be Elliot. As a student of the history of the sport I know that Elliot would have been number one in any era. I have the sports illustrated copy with him on the cover at the end of his career. I want to get it signed if anyone has any knowledge of how to get it to him.
no shout out for venuste niyangabo?
has to be a worth a mention. loved his anonymity at races, until he started whacking out times that made people's heads spin. a 3:46.7 mile and a couple of 3:29 15's.
also: in 96 he gave up his spot on the olympic 1500m to let his countryman (can't remember his name) race, who had missed out on the previous two olympics due to burundi not sending a team. (i guess they could only send one athlete per event?)
anyway, to prove that this kind of generosity is not always unrewarded, he raced the 5000m instead. and won that sucker.
so, venuste gets my vote.