I'm gonna go with the classic: Zatopek winning gold in the 1952 Olympic Marathon, despite having never raced the distance before, and running on tired legs after having won both the 5K and 10K.
I know not your definition of distance but Rudisha's WR at the Olympics was the most epic run I have ever seen. Wire to wire, no pacer, no pace lights, on the biggest stage after multiple rounds.
My first instincts would say Jakob's 7:17, Bekeles 5000m olympic gold in 2008, Kipchoge running under 2hrs (even if not legal).
If we include factors like age, Bernard Lagat getting 5th in the 5000m in Rio at almost age 42 is pretty insane to me (and him winning the olympic trials the same year with final lap of 52.)
Centro's Gold Medal is up there for me. How the hell did they let that happen lmfao
She took the lead halfway through the race, and shuttered a 23 yr old WR, which was once considered unbreakable.
She dragged 17 other runners to new PBs, including the first 12 after her, and seven NRs including one AR. And she beat everyone by at least 15 seconds.
She took the lead halfway through the race, and shuttered a 23 yr old WR, which was once considered unbreakable.
She dragged 17 other runners to new PBs, including the first 12 after her, and seven NRs including one AR. And she beat everyone by at least 15 seconds.
Honestly Same
that ish was mesmerizing to watch and in her second or third ever 10k too
it also opened the door for the current sub 30 influx cause for a long time the ladies didn’t really try to go for that Junxia record before that
Ive always wondered how good shed have been with the current mechanical doping named wavelight going on
I know not your definition of distance but Rudisha's WR at the Olympics was the most epic run I have ever seen. Wire to wire, no pacer, no pace lights, on the biggest stage after multiple rounds.
I think it’s this. And I think we definitely should include the 800 distance in this conversation. I picked your pick earlier in this thread and gave all the reasons why. It checks every box, including the fact that these new cats on the block still haven’t broken it yet. Rudisha 800 WR London Olympics GOAT distance performance. I provided picks for men and women in my earlier post, but if I had to pick outright despite considering genders, I’d have to go with Rudisha.
I know not your definition of distance but Rudisha's WR at the Olympics was the most epic run I have ever seen. Wire to wire, no pacer, no pace lights, on the biggest stage after multiple rounds.
I think it’s this. And I think we definitely should include the 800 distance in this conversation. I picked your pick earlier in this thread and gave all the reasons why. It checks every box, including the fact that these new cats on the block still haven’t broken it yet. Rudisha 800 WR London Olympics GOAT distance performance. I provided picks for men and women in my earlier post, but if I had to pick outright despite considering genders, I’d have to go with Rudisha.
If we include this then yes, it absolutely is the greatest performance of all time. A WR in an olympic final in a modern era. Unheard of. Still, nobody has gone under 1:41 other than him.
If we limit it to just 1500-Marathon, then it has to be either Jakob Ingebrigtsen's 3000m WR, El Guerrouj's 1500m Olympic win in 2004, or Kiplimo's HM. Not sure which I prefer.
Edit: Oh and I guess you can put El G 3:26 which is now 28 years old.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Two of my favorite performances, although admittedly not the "greatest", but they were the on the big stage, had dramatic finishes, with crowds going wild at both.
1. Rod Dixon runs down Geoff Smith at the 1983 NYC Marathon. Geoff spent a week with us that Summer the Adidas XC HS running camp I attended. He'd go on some easy runs with us in the mornings (along with Grete), but trained mostly by himself in the afternoons.
Greatest upset in the history of the greatest track meet in the world
Upset, schmupset. There are no upsets at 10,000 meters. You are correct that this was the greatest performance in history. Mills nearly broke the world record on a sloppy cinder track after heavy rain. Ron Clarke "knew" he was the best and tried to take away his competitors' hope. Mills and Gammoudi would not be broken. Mills flew with wings like an Eagle and completed the race before him. Mohammed Gammoudi said the American's sprint over the last 100 meters was like watching an arrow being shot from a bow.
Lynn Bjordland's 3000M from 1975, record for about 38yrs.
That is certainly one of the greatest performances in high school history. Ran 9:08.6 on July 5, 1975 in the Soviet Union (almost 50 years to the day). At the time it was run, it was not just the high school record, it was an American Record. Amazingly, she would have run faster but she misjudged the finish line and stopped a little short. She went on to place 7th in the World Cross Country Championships Senior Race in 1976.
Her HS record wasn't broken until Mary Cain in 2013, only months before she finished 10th in the World Outdoor Championships. Fifty years later, I think her time still ranks #11 in US high school history. Only four runners ran faster in the first 45 years (through 2019) - Cain, Effraimson, Rainsberger, Tuohy.
My first instincts would say Jakob's 7:17, Bekeles 5000m olympic gold in 2008, Kipchoge running under 2hrs (even if not legal).
If we include factors like age, Bernard Lagat getting 5th in the 5000m in Rio at almost age 42 is pretty insane to me (and him winning the olympic trials the same year with final lap of 52.)
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Kip Keino's 3:34.9 at 7000 ft in the 1500 m final at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He had already run the 10,000 (dnf) I'm finished second in the 5000. At the time, it was the second or third fastest 1500 m ever run.
My vote for men would likely have to be Rudisha's 1:40.91. Though it may be on borrowed time; it's still the WR despite a much deeper current crop of 800m guys with shoe and training advantages, was set at the Olympics, was run against a deep field where the top 8 all broke 1:44 and eclipsed the 1:41 barrier for the first time in history.
I second this. I was up late watching the British feed. I stayed up for his talk show interviews either the same day or next. I fell asleep and continued to dream about Rudisha interviewing. I remember thinking he was completely superhuman to have done it on that stage. The timing was perfect.