76chine wrote:
Pre.
For some strange reason Prefontaine is an American legend. Neither his times or his results running in Europe suggests something special.
76chine wrote:
Pre.
For some strange reason Prefontaine is an American legend. Neither his times or his results running in Europe suggests something special.
I'm going to throw Buddy Edelen into the mix.
SprintTriathlon wrote:
76chine wrote:
Pre.
For some strange reason Prefontaine is an American legend. Neither his times or his results running in Europe suggests something special.
Early tragic death makes legends. Lots of people think James Dean was the greatest actor ever even though he only had a couple major rolls. The "what might have been ..." makes the celebrity status skyrocket.
Daniel Komen and it's not close. 25 years and he's still the 3000m record holder; and they don't even hold that distance in the OG. And he was clearly the best 5000m runners the world in 96.
adsfdasfasfsafadfa wrote:
My Two Cents Take wrote:
Paula Radcliffe would be my top pick on the female side of the sport, but what about the men? Discuss.
Henry Rono and Daniel Komen.... Both guys with 2 or 3 year peaks were they were argueably the best in the world (or at least a clear 2nd) but that peak didn't line up with the olympics
This.
Ridgemonter wrote:
adsfdasfasfsafadfa wrote:
Henry Rono and Daniel Komen.... Both guys with 2 or 3 year peaks were they were argueably the best in the world (or at least a clear 2nd) but that peak didn't line up with the olympics
This.
Yea I might have to agree. Rono had some amazing times in a short period, which Malmo has enumerated and has posted before. Komon too, with 3:45 mile speed and 12:39 strength...he should have won the OG in '96 and '00 in the 5000.
SprintTriathlon wrote:
76chine wrote:
Pre.
For some strange reason Prefontaine is an American legend. Neither his times or his results running in Europe suggests something special.
He clearly is not the best runner to never win a medal.
Still, he's an American legend because he set an American record in every event from 2k to 10k. He won NCAA XC 3 straight years, and 3m/5k 4 straight years. He's an American legend because he's an American legend. On the world stage, he was not so huge. Nor should he have been. Maybe if he'd lived longer.
Oh Please wrote:
Ridgemonter wrote:
This.
Yea I might have to agree. Rono had some amazing times in a short period, which Malmo has enumerated and has posted before. Komon too, with 3:45 mile speed and 12:39 strength...he should have won the OG in '96 and '00 in the 5000.
Rono was huge in 78 (and not bad in 81). He set world records in the 3000, 3000ST, 5000, and 10000. He broke the old 10k record by 8 seconds. The 5k by 4 (or 5). His records held for years. He was the best runner in the world in 78 by a long shot. The best runner ever at that point (based on time as dominance that one year). There was Rono and everyone else (okay, Ovett beat him in a 2-mile at the end of the season to set a WR in a cat-n-mouse, surge-and-slow race with Rono leading most of the way).
SprintTriathlon wrote:
76chine wrote:
Pre.
For some strange reason Prefontaine is an American legend. Neither his times or his results running in Europe suggests something special.
What were the Norwegian records from 2k to 10k when Pre set his?
Ridgemonter wrote:
SprintTriathlon wrote:
For some strange reason Prefontaine is an American legend. Neither his times or his results running in Europe suggests something special.
He clearly is not the best runner to never win a medal.
Still, he's an American legend because he set an American record in every event from 2k to 10k. He won NCAA XC 3 straight years, and 3m/5k 4 straight years. He's an American legend because he's an American legend. On the world stage, he was not so huge. Nor should he have been. Maybe if he'd lived longer.
As has been posted many times, Pre never beat contemporary Rod Dixon (who won an Olympic medal and ran with more guts).
RunnerSam wrote:
I'm going to throw Buddy Edelen into the mix.
Most marathon World Record Holders never won an Olympic Medal.
However, Jim Peters may be the answer to the OP's question if we are talking about marathoners. He was the first to break 2:25 and 2:20 and 2:18. He was also on the World stage for a while.
Rono or Jim Peters.
Rudolph Harbig of Germany ran 1:46.6 in 1939. Took almost two seconds off the 800 record and held the WR for 16 years. He was killed in WWII. He did win a bronze in the '36 OG 4x400, so maybe doesn't fit the category. Still, no individual medal.
In comparison, the 5000m and 10000m records were 14:08 and 29:52 in 1939.
Cheptegei. That is a fact, not an opinion which is what most of you are providing.
If you include sprinting then Tyson Gay is definitely up there. He won a medal in 2012 but it was later stripped so it doesn't count. No individual ones.
seasoned ranker wrote:
Renaldo Nehemiah
This. Then Komen 2nd. Then I’d have to think on it kore behind them.
Ackley wrote:
RunnerSam wrote:
I'm going to throw Buddy Edelen into the mix.
Most marathon World Record Holders never won an Olympic Medal.
However, Jim Peters may be the answer to the OP's question if we are talking about marathoners. He was the first to break 2:25 and 2:20 and 2:18. He was also on the World stage for a while.
Don't forget that Khalid Khannouchi. Several big wins. Multiple times world record holder. Never ran in the Olympics.
76chine wrote:
Pre.
LIquori > Pre.
Faster than Cheptegei?
gytur wrote:
adsfdasfasfsafadfa wrote:
Henry Rono and Daniel Komen.... Both guys with 2 or 3 year peaks were they were argueably the best in the world (or at least a clear 2nd) but that peak didn't line up with the olympics
Current steeple record holder Saif Shaheen is another one. Also Bannister, Hagg and Anderson.
Shaheen is a good one. He set the steeple wr only 10 days after the olympic final in 2004. And he won WC gold in the preceding (2003) and following (2005) years. He was certainly the best in the world for about 3-4 years and there really has been no one better to this day.