Ndereba "Best", Radcliffe "Fastest"

I'd put Waitz ahead of Mota because the WR counts for a lot.

Also, Benoit for the same reason. I am not familiar with all of Mota's wins, but it does depend on who the competition was. For example, why did she finish 3rd in Chicago '85?... because 2 much better marathoners than her, Benoit and Kristiansen, were running 1 and 2 ahead of her.

Women's Marathon progression

2: 15' 25" Paula Radcliffe, GBR, 13 Apr 03, London.

2: 17' 18" Paula Radcliffe, GBR, 13 Oct 02, Chicago.

2: 18' 47" Catherina Ndereba, KEN, 07 Oct 01, Chicago.

2: 19' 46" Naoko Takahashi, JPN, 30 Sep 01, Berlin.

2: 20' 43" Tegla Loroupe, KEN, 26 Sep 99, Berlin.

2: 20' 47" Tegla Loroupe, KEN, 19 Apr 98, Rotterdam.

2: 21' 06" Ingrid Kristiansen, NOR, 21 Oct 85, London.

2: 22' 43" Joan Benoit, USA, 18 Apr 83, Boston.

2: 25' 28"7 Grete Waitz, NOR, 17 Apr 83, London.

2: 25' 41"3 Grete Waitz, NOR, 26 Oct 80, New York.

2: 27' 32"6 Grete Waitz, NOR, 21 Oct 79, New York.

2: 32' 29"8 Grete Waitz, NOR, 22 Oct 78, New York.

2: 34' 47"5 Christa Vahlensieck, FRG, 10 Sep 77, Berlin.

Predictions for Paula:

3rd in 10,000..... she hasn't raced recently and won't have the leg speed to drop the Ethiopians in the last 1k.

2nd in marathon..... The likely sub 30 pace in the 10k will have an effect....no matter who you are.... She's underestimating just how consistent Ndereba is.

She should have only gone for the marathon gold....but she's a bit of a masochist and it also probably trying to match Kelly Holmes (who stole her thunder as the best UK athlete big time in Athens)......... But good luck to her anyway!

That had to be the dumbest post of all time.

Congrats Paula.

PAULA WE LOVE YOU!

And thank go she won, because we all know how the Brits would feel if heaven forbid she came 2nd, or 9th.

Well I guess this race settles the debate. Paula is the best and the fastest.

DAMNED STRAIGHT SHE'S THE BEST!