The 12 Greatest African Athletes in Order

Belayneh Dinsamo was a great marathoner but Abebe Mekonnen was a much more consistent marathoner (for that time period). I would take AM over Dinsamo...

If we are talking about consistent African marathoners, we have to mention Douglas Wakihuri and Juma Ikangaa...also there was that Tunisian (?) who was always getting second place, can't remember his name...

Having said that, if you are talking about a list of the greatest Africans of all time and limiting it to 10 or 12 guys, I don't see where Dinsamo comes on the list just because he ran a big WR once. He never got a gold medal...

A gold medal in WC or Olympics should be a prerequisite unless:

1. You didn't get to compete in the WC/Olympics (ie Rono).

2. You were a silver medalist (barely) multiple times to Geb.

Otherwise we can throw out about 500 names all of which have some impressive accomplishments.

There are certain names that should be on there indisputably. Let's start with those.

Gebrselassie for certain.

Bekele for certain.

El Guerrouj for certain.

Tergat for certain.

After that, there is much room for debate. I say you have to add Komen and Kipketer.

About Ereng Paul @ # 2?????????????????/

Crimson Kick to the Head wrote:

Gosh Damn, Dashen!

What the fpck you got in that head of yours?!

Just because Bekila is the African marathon vanguard does not make him the greatest ever, for the same reason Bannister or Prefontaine will never be the greatest ever. Even though 2 of these guys broke new territory, neither dominated in terms of range, raw time, world records, world championships, or length of career as would be the case for Geb, El G, Morceli, Tergat, Komen, and when it's all said and done, Bekele.

Fpcks sake man, perspective please.

Dashen wrote:

Abebe Bekila was the first and cannot be replaced on the top.

I can't believe that you would even mention Prefontaine in the same sentence as Bannister and Bikila.

Bikila easily belongs in the company of Geb, El G, Morceli, Tergat, Komen. He won two consecutive Olympic marathons, breaking the world record each time! In Tokyo, he broke the record by close to two minutes on a ridiculously hot day. This was mere weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis.

2:04:55 ( 1) Paul Tergat (KEN)

2:04:56 ( 2) Sammy Korir (KEN)

2:05:37 ( 1) Khalid Khannouchi (NY/USA)

2:05:42 ( 1) Khalid Khannouchi- 2

2:05:48 ( 2) Paul Tergat- 2

2:05:56 ( 1) Khalid Khannouchi- 3

2:06:18 ( 4) Paul Tergat- 3

2:06:44 ( 1) Josephat Kiprono (KEN)

2:06:46 ( 5) Abdelkader El Mouaziz (MAR)

2:06:48 ( 2) Sammy Korir- 2

2:06:50 ( 1) Josephat Kiprono- 2

2:06:52 ( 4) Abdelkader El Mouaziz- 2

2:07:01 ( 1) Khalid Khannouchi- 4

2:07:06 ( 2) Josephat Kiprono- 3

2:07:10 ( 1) Khalid Khannouchi- 5

2:07:11 ( 1) Abdelkader El Mouaziz- 3

2:07:19 ( 2) Khalid Khannouchi- 6

2:07:27 ( 2) Josephat Kiprono- 4

2:07:29 ( 2) Josephat Kiprono- 5

2:07:33 ( 2) Abdelkader El Mouaziz- 4

2:07:53 ( 2) Josephat Kiprono- 6

2:07:57 ( 1) Abdelkader El Mouaziz- 5

2:07:59 ( 4) Paul Tergat- 4

2:08:02 ( 3) Sammy Korir- 3

2:08:03 ( 6) Abdelkader El Mouaziz- 6

2:08:07 ( 2) Abdelkader El Mouaziz-7

2:08:09 ( 5) Sammy Korir- 4

2:08:13 ( 1) Sammy Korir- 5

2:08:14 ( 3) Sammy Korir- 6

2:08:15 ( 1) Abdelkader El Mouaziz 8

2:08:24 ( 1) Sammy Korir- 7

NativeSon wrote:

Noah Ng'eny doesn't make this elite team.

He only has one world record which still stands- the 1000m record and a 1500m olympics gold. That is about it. He was great when he reigned but had he continued, he'd be a force to reckon with.

KipKem, your list is good. The only tricky thing is whether those who revolutionised running like Bikila, Keino, e.t.c. should be ranked higher than let's say Bekele who is still in the nascent stage of his illustrious career. We also had Samwel Matete of Zambia.

Good Insight!

The fella who started this thread either has short memory span to running history or simply is novice to running in general!

As for me, I would start from the older generations who showed great courage in opening doors for generations of African runners through their immense talents.

Actually 5.

Mystery Box wrote:

Here\'s my top ten:

1. H. Gebreselasse ETH

2. K. Keino KEN

3. H. El Guerrouj MOR

4. A. Bikila ETH

5. K. Bekele ETH

6. S. Aouita MOR

7. P. Tergat KEN

8. W. Kipketer KEN (DEN)

9. N. Morceli ALG

10. J. Ngugi KEN

I can\'t believe that Bikila wasn\'t making the top ten in anyone\'s lists. If you give Keino points for his impact, then Bikila has to be up there.

I agree! To those who overlook A Bikila\'s greateness, maybe the following links would help:

Has any African besides Mohamed Gammoudi won a medal in three Olympics?

Kip Keino and Mohamed Gammoudi have each won four Olympic medals. Has any other African matched this?

Khumalo wrote:

NativeSon wrote:

Noah Ng'eny doesn't make this elite team.

He only has one world record which still stands- the 1000m record and a 1500m olympics gold. That is about it. He was great when he reigned but had he continued, he'd be a force to reckon with.

KipKem, your list is good. The only tricky thing is whether those who revolutionised running like Bikila, Keino, e.t.c. should be ranked higher than let's say Bekele who is still in the nascent stage of his illustrious career. We also had Samwel Matete of Zambia.

Good Insight!

The fella who started this thread either has short memory span to running history or simply is novice to running in general!

As for me, I would start from the older generations who showed great courage in opening doors for generations of African runners through their immense talents.

Khumalo - I might have short memory, but that is my opinion. Why dont u list yours instead of insulting me. That was the whole point for this thread. I know there poeple like Wakihuir(sp), Ngugi, Ugandan 400 meters runner, Naftali Temu that I have not included.

I therefore challenge you to list your twelve then I will compare with my twelve. Okay brother.

Naftali Temu was the first African to win a gold medal on the track. He won the 10,000 in 1968. Why don't the expert posters on here who cite Bikila and Keino for their pioneering importance also cite Temu?

By the way, Temu died in 2003 at the age of 58.

According to the ridiculous illogic of some on this thread, Emil Zatopek is one of the top 3 of all time because he had so many medals and records, even though today's elite women aren't too far off of some of his times. The best are the fastest; that's what running is about. Human bodies are no different now than they were 40 years ago, and tracks have not changed as drastically as people make out either. No track in the 1970's would account for Rono's PB being 28 seconds behind Bekele's.

Geb, Bekele, Komen, El Guerrouj, Morceli, Tergat, Kipketer, Sihine, Kipchoge...those guys are the best.

Here are my twelve runners without any regard to history or pioneering.

They are not in any particular order.

Morocco:

1. Said Ouita

2. Hicham El Guerrouj

Algeria:

3. Noureddine Morcelli

Ethiopia:

4. Haile Gebrselassie

5. Kenenisa Bekele

Kenya:

6. Paul Tergat

7. Moses Kiptanui

8. Daniel Kipng'etich Komen

9. John Ngugi

10. Wilson Kipketer (Denmark)

11. Henry Rono

12. Kipchoge Keino

I know I have left others like Mirus Yifter, Abebe Bilila e.t.c.

Other noteworthy runners:

Namibia:

Frankie Fredericks

Mozambique:

Maria de Lourdes Mutola

I forgot Derartu Tulu from Ethiopia.

Kipkem's instructions are very clear.

He wants a full list of your take on 12 AFRICA'S GREATEST ATHLETES.

They have to be twelve. No more, no less.

Rather than saying that so and so should be on the list or so and so shouldn't be on the list, JUST GIVE YOUR OWN LIST OF THE BEST TWELVE rather criticise.

I realised that it is harder than it seems.

Bayi won the Silver in the 1980 Olympic in the 3000m steeplechase as well as held the world records in the mile and 1500m for about 7 years. He also never had a rabbit in his competitions. Sulieman Nyambui is another runner form Tanzania who won the Silver in the 1980 Olympic Games in the 5000m but was also one of the greatest intercolligate athletes ever winning about 16 - 18 NCAA Championships. Heny Rono set 4 or 5 world records in the shortest period of time than any athlete in the 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, and 10,000m. You have to give strong consideration to these 3 athletes.

Please note Bayi and Nyambui 2 silver medals are the only Olympig medals won by Tanzanian track athletes - it is a ust they are on the list.

Bayi is not one of the top 12 Africans of all time. He was great, but not top 12.