Who's the GOAT: Sifan Hassan or Faith Kipyegon?

Kipyegon is simply too fast. Too good. Hassan cannot handle her.

Neither. Tirunesh Dibaba

She’s definitely still in the conversation. The closest thing to a female Bekele equivalent.

Let's see how Budapest and Paris go. Rn, Kipyegon by a hair. I'm a bigger fan of Sifan though

Caster Semenya

On times, it's Faith by a mile. By everything else it is quite close.

However you got to remember that Faith missed a year to pop out a baby and still came back 15 months postpartum to get silver. I'd also be willing to bet a fair amount of money that in the next two weeks Faith has an extra two world titles to her name compared to Sifan.

Faith | Sifan

Age:

29 | 30

World Records:
3 | 0* (1 if you count hour on the track)

PBs:

1:57.68 | 1:56.81

2:29.15 | 2:34.95

3:49.11 WR | 3:51.95

4:07.64 WR | 4:12.33

14:05.20 WR | 14:13.42

Honours:

2 x Olympic Champion | 2 x Olympic Champion

2 x World Champion | 2 x World Champion

3 x Diamond League Champion | 2 x Diamond League Champion

2 x World/Olympic Podium | 3 x World/Olympic Podium

Head to head (discounting heats):

Faith 9 vs. 6 Sifan

Head to head (just World or Olympic finals):

Faith 4 vs. 1 Sifan

The only World/Olympic final head to head Sifan won was 2019 in Faith's postpartum season.

The arguments for Sifan that would attempt to outweigh the head to head and PB advantage Faith has is range/versatility/doubling. If this were a conversation on who was the most versatile or who is the better marathoner then right now it would obviously be Sifan hands down. In some respects the triple hurts Sifan as it obfuscates her true potential in Tokyo in the 1500m. I think this conversation swings decidedly in Sifan's favour if she had skipped the 5000m in Tokyo and done just 15/10 double. Maybe that's less fun and people like that she did the triple, but had she done that and won it would be 3 Olympic titles to 1 in favour of Sifan.

This sport is all about running fast and winning. Faith has run faster, and won almost every single race that matters against Sifan. It's really tight, but I give advantage Kipyegon.

I would again say that while this is close, given current form + Kipyegon's explicit goal of eventually going after the marathon, I think when both are retired it will be clear advantage Kipyegon.

Expanding further:

Beijing 2015 Final Faith 2nd vs Sifan 3rd

Rio 2016 Final Faith 1st vs Sifan 5th

London 2017 Final Faith 1st vs Sifan 5th

Doha 2019 Final Faith 2nd vs Sifan 1st

Tokyo 2021 Final Faith 1st vs Sifan 3rd

Diamond League Final 2021 Faith 1st vs Sifan 2nd

I really struggle to argue against this. When these two have taken to the track head-to-head with the biggest possible stakes - in the races that matter most, who is the one walking away better off almost every time?

Kipyegon has a 4-1 advantage in championship races head-to-head and 9-6 overall (excluding heats).

Hassan has faster PRs in the 800 and 3000. Kipyegon in the 1000, 1500, mile and 5000. Kipyegon holds 3 WRs and none for Hassan.

Hassan has 4 championship golds and 2 bronze, Kipyegon has 4 golds and 2 silver.

I would say it's advantage Kipyegon.

Sifan MF Hassan aka the GOAT slayer

Kipyegon is amazing, but Hassan has no limits on what bizarre achievements she can accomplish

Yeah, her 5 World XC titles, including a double, still give her a edge in my mind.

hard to judge until Budapest and Paris.

If:

Kipyegon wins in 23 but not 24 then I think its still up to debate

Kipyegon wins the 1500 in 23 and 24 then she is the better between the two and the GOAT

Kipyegon pulls off the double in 23 and 24 then she should be in the conversation for the general distance running GOAT

Not sure distances Faith hasn't ran yet are too relevant. Both (actually all 3 with Dibaba) are on the Goat podium, but as of 2023 Faith is the best.

But, but, but ... Tuohy. 😥😥😥

To me Tirunesh was better than Bekele

She did everything he did, but with more longevity,

Their track careers started at the same time and while KB's last medalled in '09

Tiru was still on the podium in 2017

also what are the odds that the same village in Ethiopia gave the world

the Bekeles, the Dibabas and Derartu Tulu

One way or another, these threads about "super-talents" today are still threads about doping. Their respective achievements wouldn't exist without it. It's like comparing the best in the Cold War era. We should be congratulating their coaches, trainers and physicians.

While simplistic, this argument may be true. Sifan looked for all the world like she might break every world record when she went on that streak...but then shut down post Tokyo. It is plausible that we have not even seen the best Sifan yet? Also, winning a marathon major?? How long did she prep that? 6 months? But alas that distraction may be partly why she wont beat FK anytime soon. That and the huge spector of PEDS. Winning marathons and 1500m medals makes me wonder if she has missed her calling? 10000?

Kipchoge wasn't exactly a slouch on the track.

Just sayin'.