Was Bekele the greatest distance runner in history because he ran the fastest times? Yes!!!
No, half the reason Bekele is GOAT is his cross country results. I don't remember a single cross country time that he ran because place is what matters in cross country.
I agree that in xc his times don't matter, but times certainly matter on the track and holding the 5k and 10k records for some many years as well as so many world level golds and the xc titles makes him unmatched. By far the best xc runner ever.
When Jim Ryun was running every sports fan knew who he was. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated a few times. I can’t remember the last time an American distance runner was, maybe Bill Rodgers?
Mary Decker was the last American distance runner on the cover. Alberto Salazar was the last male American distance runner on the cover.
You bring up a great point. Mary Decker May in fact be the greatest teen HS runner in US history, greater than Ryun. She was a multiple world record holder at HS age.
Mary Decker was the last American distance runner on the cover. Alberto Salazar was the last male American distance runner on the cover.
You bring up a great point. Mary Decker May in fact be the greatest teen HS runner in US history, greater than Ryun. She was a multiple world record holder at HS age.
We're straying off topic. But yes, she was Olympic level as a 14 year old in the 800. I think she's the most naturally talented runner this county's ever seen. Her injuries and ruinous surgeries probably don't happen with today's medicine.
You bring up a great point. Mary Decker May in fact be the greatest teen HS runner in US history, greater than Ryun. She was a multiple world record holder at HS age.
We're straying off topic. But yes, she was Olympic level as a 14 year old in the 800. I think she's the most naturally talented runner this county's ever seen. Her injuries and ruinous surgeries probably don't happen with today's medicine.
Agreed, and her early accomplishments were not under a doping cloud. If you really go back a see what Mary did in the early and mid 70s, it would be reasonable to conclude she may be one of the top few most talented runners from any country and in any era. We are in the midst of a robust period of US youth talent with the likes of Kessler and Hocker and Sahlman and of course, Mu, but it’s good to recall that we’ve seen this before and maybe better with the likes of Ryun and Decker.
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