BEST WORLD RECORD

I don't think running two 3:40's back to back is off this world. It's a pretty amazing feet, but El Guerrouj and Lagat at their peak can nail a 3:30 easily, so if they changed their specific endurance training for that of a 3000, I wouldn't be surprised if they could get into the mid to low 7:20's. They certainly have the strength for it.

For the best world record, I'm going to have to go with Wilson Kipketer's 800m PR, 1:41.11. No one is going to touch that for a long time. When was the last time someone ran under 1:42? And is there anyone out there now who has the potential to do so?

MJ's 19.32, that's crazy fast. so is komen's 7:20 and kipketer's 1:41.11. however, i'd think kipketer's time would be more impressive had coe not run 1:41.xx in the early 80s. just me though.

I don’t think this is even a topic for a discussion. 1:41.11 is by far the best mid to long distance record in the books. If we considered the shorter events (something that is rarely done here) MJ’s 19.32 takes the prize.

Paula Radcliffe's 2:15 completely shattered the curve. It's up there. She or Kipketer would get my vote.

1. Paula Radcliffe (w-Mar).......2:15:25

2. Florence Griffith (w-100).....10.49

3. Javier Sotomayer (m-HJ).......8-1/2

4. Wilson Kipketer (m-800).......1:41.11

5. Michael Johnson (m-200).......19.32

6. Junxia Wang (w-10k)...........29:31.78

7. Daniel Komen (m-3k)...........7:20.67

8. Mike Powell (m-LJ)............29-4 1/2

9. Jackie Joyner Kersee (w-Hep)..7291

10. Tomoe Abe (w-100k)............6:33:11

11 tie

Junxia Wang (w-3k)................8:06.11

Florence Griffith (w-200).........21.34

some of the records should not have been ratified but they were and thus very impressive.

how about some of kouros' records. he averaged 7:39 pace for 24 hours continuous

Although I generally have much more respect for records in distance events, MJ's 19.32 was as close to perfection as I've seen in a running event.

some of the records should not have been ratified but they were and thus very impressive.

Keeping that in mind Marita Kochs 400m world record is certainly up there with the best. I think all of the records mentioned so far will be broken in my lifetime but no women will run 47.60 until they find a new undetectable supersteroid and a supertalented women willing to take it.

Westcoast wrote:

I don’t think this is even a topic for a discussion. 1:41.11 is by far the best mid to long distance record in the books. If we considered the shorter events (something that is rarely done here) MJ’s 19.32 takes the prize.

I don’t know how you can state that when Cruz ran 1.41.77 in 84.

The 800 record should be under 1.41 by now, maybe even 1.40.

field events

hj 2.45 javier s.

pv 6.15 sergei b.

Should be under 1:40?? ....why cause you say so??....no...

NO ONE has run within a half second of kipketer...in what could be considered one of the more compitive events(rarely does someone blow the field away in the 800m).

something about the 800m causes it to not be as \"fragile\" so to speak as other records......maybe its due to the fact that there doesnt realy seem to be any one way to run a super fast 800m...

anyway...1:40 is rubbish....noone is going to run over 1sec faster than kipketer. people talk about is all the time...but if you live in reality ...there have only been 3 people to break 1:42...and thats a damn long way from 1:40..

Uwe Hohn's 104.80 / 343' 10" javelin throw. I mean, how often does a WR force them to re-write the rules?

6. Junxia Wang (w-10k)...........29:31.78

that will NEVER be broken. Weather it is doped or not. if we are talking about pure numbers it is the best. (8:06 for the 3k ain't bad either)

I'm not one of the people who screams doper on every runner but as much as I believe she was the most doped runner ever I would have to put Wang's record up there... probably hers and radcliffe's 2:15 would be my top 2.My third place award would go to javier s. from cuba who topped 8 feet in the high jump over 10 years ago

Riz wrote:

6. Junxia Wang (w-10k)...........29:31.78

that will NEVER be broken. Weather it is doped or not. if we are talking about pure numbers it is the best. (8:06 for the 3k ain't bad either)

will people ever learn? honestly the record will go under 1:40 someday... but of course a sub 4 mile is beyond the limit of human endeavour... But I will say that the 800 record is, in my opinion, the toughest on the books to break. It took sixteen years for Kipketer to lower it 6/10s of a second Seb Coe's 1:41.72 in '81.

Also, how about the 1000 meter? Seb held the record in that for eighteen years until Noah Ngeny ran 2:11.96. I agree that there is just something about those distances...

would you cut the BS about the god damn 4:00min mile....this isnt the 1950s anymore....WAKE UP people..Training, nutrition, track material, shoes, Competition, ...all of these are lightyears ahead of were they were when bannister broke 4min....

and ONE person ONE!!!!! has come within 1.5 secs of 1:40...in an 800m 1.5sec is DAMN NEAR insurmountable.

Training, nutrition, track material, shoes, Competition,....none of these are going to see a large enough improvement , that you would see some one break 1:40

1:40 Means nothing, you just as well say someone will someday break 1:20....cause they both are about as likly to happen....go ahead through a 2:00hr marathon in there to...

Yup that Komen 3k record is not talked about much, but it is mind-numbing fast and as impressive as it gets in the distances.

I think the 800 is one of the worst records comparativly, it hasn't improved much in a while and and a few guys have been close to it, i think the 800 is stuck on at a barrier and once it break it people could go 1:38-1:39. no one else is close to the 200 and the 3000 is 3 seconds faster than the best miler, who was endurance based, could muster.