What distance runner in history has had the biggest fall from grace?

There aren't many running Beckies. Are you a VillanovaBecky?

No. She currently leads the category. She went from the top US high school runner in history to top college runner in history to worse than other women her own age. She can leave the category if that changes, but she is the current top contender for the award of biggest drop from grace. From generational talent to granola sales and supplement sales.

But the thread title makes no sense, as clearly you are not talking about it.

Why don't you give it a sensible title?

In another thread I saw "Runn" referred to some losers. I wonder if "Nick Jones" is someone "Runn" might consider to be a loser?

KoKo?

Back in the (very old) day, “falling from grace” meant disqualification for professionalism (this betrays my age, sorry about that). Those folks include, but are not limited to:
Gunder Haag
Arne Andersson
Paavo Nurmi
Jim Thorpe (exhibit No. 1)

In other sports, true “falling” has to include these unfortunate souls:
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Pete Rose
Tonya Harding

Fall from grace.

She can return. That doesn't change the fact. Huge fall from grace. Let's hope for a large return to grace.

I wouldnt classify this as a fall from grace, but more of a mysterious sharp decline in performance who previously showed tons of promise was Lisa Uhl (Koll). To go from being a NCAA 10000m record holder and Olympian to barely breaking 16min for 5k, 76min for the half and 2:40 for the marathon is a hard drop.

people on here don't understand the phrase.

a "fall from grace" is not the same as a drop in performance.

I doubt that you do either. It comes from the Bible and essentially means to stop following God.

Using it to talk about runners, it should mean that a runner gets lazy and stops eating well and drifts from discipline. The OP explained that he meant a runner who dropped off in performance.

Wilson Kipsang

If there's one thing on a running forum to not underestimate, it's how mad the 10 people that downvoted this actually are.

In 1983 Lyudmila Kraktalova won the very difficult 400 , 800 double breaking world records 1:53 and 48 by large margins at the World Championships.She was subsequently disqualified for doping. Mao's Army had a group of runners who ran extremely fast in the 1500,5000 and 10,000. All were subsequently banned. The caveat is that the 29:29 by a young Chinese lady was thought to be attainable without doping enhancement. These ladies trained up to180 miles a week as they. continued to " breathe sorrow". The Chairmen was banned for life.

Shelby fell from grace