I know that Jakob has not finished his career and he very well may run a 5k or 1500 record one day...but as of now, who is the better runner?
I say Jakob due to 1500m + 5000m Olympic Gold but he also hasn't set the 1500m or 5000m record. Aouita set a WR in every event from 1500m to 5000m other than the mile. SO who would you argue is better and why?
Also, Passant, don't ruin this thread by explaining how Aouita was a product of himself and poverty, Idc.
Very clearly Jakob. He is simply the greatest 1500m-5000m Specialist of all time. Already Olympic Champion at both events at the age of 24. Cannot wait to see if he can replicate this in LA 28. Here are the IAAF Results Scores added up and ranking for every event between the 1500m to the 5k.
I know that Jakob has not finished his career and he very well may run a 5k or 1500 record one day...but as of now, who is the better runner?
I say Jakob due to 1500m + 5000m Olympic Gold but he also hasn't set the 1500m or 5000m record. Aouita set a WR in every event from 1500m to 5000m other than the mile. SO who would you argue is better and why?
Also, Passant, don't ruin this thread by explaining how Aouita was a product of himself and poverty, Idc.
Id say jakob,because he's won more titles. I suppose if said aouita was running today,with fancy shoes,he would be better. He was near the top of the world from 800 to 10'000 meters
Honestly, Said Aouita was sort of the Jakob of his era. He had these amazing records (like Jacob's 3000m) and he had Olympic golds, but at the same time he didn't always win everything and sometimes he lost in his "main" event.
Each era has a "greatest" and honestly, for a while it was Aouita, then Morceli, then El Guerrouj, then Geb, then Bekele, then Mo Farah, and now Jakob.
None of those guys, besides Bekele, are seriously in the actual GOAT conversation, but for a decade or so, they were the best of the best. None of them were undefeated, but they were usually the odds on favorite to win when they toed the line.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
I know that Jakob has not finished his career and he very well may run a 5k or 1500 record one day...but as of now, who is the better runner?
I say Jakob due to 1500m + 5000m Olympic Gold but he also hasn't set the 1500m or 5000m record. Aouita set a WR in every event from 1500m to 5000m other than the mile. SO who would you argue is better and why?
Also, Passant, don't ruin this thread by explaining how Aouita was a product of himself and poverty, Idc.
Id say jakob,because he's won more titles. I suppose if said aouita was running today,with fancy shoes,he would be better. He was near the top of the world from 800 to 10'000 meters
Aouita’s WRs became slow in a hurry. Within 10 years, his 12:58 WR had been improved by almost 20 seconds and 27:26 is pedestrian by today’s standards.
Aouita’s WRs became slow in a hurry. Within 10 years, his 12:58 WR had been improved by almost 20 seconds and 27:26 is pedestrian by today’s standards.
Well, in fairness, Aouita's records were the last to be set before the use of EPO became possible.
I am not saying Aouita was 100% clean, but we know he didn't have EPO because it wasn't really available yet. So all the times right after his era are likely to have been set by athletes on EPO.
It is also no coincidence that places were EPO use was not adopted right away were suddenly irrelevant in running (e.g. Britain and the USA) despite a long tradition of success. It took a while for the playing field to get leveled again after EPO was introduced.
Honestly, Said Aouita was sort of the Jakob of his era. He had these amazing records (like Jacob's 3000m) and he had Olympic golds, but at the same time he didn't always win everything and sometimes he lost in his "main" event.
Each era has a "greatest" and honestly, for a while it was Aouita, then Morceli, then El Guerrouj, then Geb, then Bekele, then Mo Farah, and now Jakob.
None of those guys, besides Bekele, are seriously in the actual GOAT conversation, but for a decade or so, they were the best of the best. None of them were undefeated, but they were usually the odds on favorite to win when they toed the line.
Said Aouita did have an impressive record of 115 wins out of 119 races between 1983 and 1990. His main event seemed to be the 5000m but he won 800s 1500s, 5ks and 10ks. He was very versatile. After reconsidering, I would put him equal to Jakob. They both are very similar in achievements.
Honestly, Said Aouita was sort of the Jakob of his era. He had these amazing records (like Jacob's 3000m) and he had Olympic golds, but at the same time he didn't always win everything and sometimes he lost in his "main" event.
Each era has a "greatest" and honestly, for a while it was Aouita, then Morceli, then El Guerrouj, then Geb, then Bekele, then Mo Farah, and now Jakob.
None of those guys, besides Bekele, are seriously in the actual GOAT conversation, but for a decade or so, they were the best of the best. None of them were undefeated, but they were usually the odds on favorite to win when they toed the line.
El G was and still is the 1500 m/mile GOAT. The top 10 list for him is like Kipchoge in marathon...practically half the times in it are his.
Said was almost certainly a drug cheat. Are we still forgetting him pushing drugs to Aussie runners when he coached them briefly?
He was also named as a client for a Belgian doctor busted for supplying dozens of cyclists and athletes (including Brahmin Bouhlami). This gets forgotten here even more, no matter how many times it is posted. Then there is Aouita's incredible Katir like progression, as well as the fact he was self-coached using 'special methods' yet has failed as a coach of others.
Aouita never once doubled the 1500m/5000m. He only ran the 5000m in major championships because he felt he couldn't beat the Brits over 1500m. Jakob has never avoided anybody. He won't even change his race tactics for anybody.
Aouita was fortunate in his timing with the WRs. Coe, Ovett, and Cram should all have ran 3:28, and if Moorcroft had been paced in 1982 he would have ran 12:55.
Jakob on the other hand has to deal with WRs set during the full-throttle EPO era. The fact we are comparing him with Aouita, and the 5000m WR was 19 seconds faster than Aouita's just 10 years after him, says it all.
Aouita never once doubled the 1500m/5000m. He only ran the 5000m in major championships because he felt he couldn't beat the Brits over 1500m. Jakob has never avoided anybody. He won't even change his race tactics for anybody.
Aouita was fortunate in his timing with the WRs. Coe, Ovett, and Cram should all have ran 3:28, and if Moorcroft had been paced in 1982 he would have ran 12:55.
Jakob on the other hand has to deal with WRs set during the full-throttle EPO era. The fact we are comparing him with Aouita, and the 5000m WR was 19 seconds faster than Aouita's just 10 years after him, says it all.
This is true. To be fair though, the 1500m and 5000m during the 1984 LA Olympics were at the same time essentially. Same for 87 WC. So it was more difficult back then to double, I guess he found his chance at a gold better in the 5000.
Honestly, Said Aouita was sort of the Jakob of his era. He had these amazing records (like Jacob's 3000m) and he had Olympic golds, but at the same time he didn't always win everything and sometimes he lost in his "main" event.
Each era has a "greatest" and honestly, for a while it was Aouita, then Morceli, then El Guerrouj, then Geb, then Bekele, then Mo Farah, and now Jakob.
None of those guys, besides Bekele, are seriously in the actual GOAT conversation, but for a decade or so, they were the best of the best. None of them were undefeated, but they were usually the odds on favorite to win when they toed the line.
El G was and still is the 1500 m/mile GOAT. The top 10 list for him is like Kipchoge in marathon...practically half the times in it are his.
I think he meant if you were trying to rate them as a runner overall. So ideally Bekele's range > El Guerrouj 1500/mile ability, however some contest that point.
Aouita never once doubled the 1500m/5000m. He only ran the 5000m in major championships because he felt he couldn't beat the Brits over 1500m. Jakob has never avoided anybody. He won't even change his race tactics for anybody.
Aouita was fortunate in his timing with the WRs. Coe, Ovett, and Cram should all have ran 3:28, and if Moorcroft had been paced in 1982 he would have ran 12:55.
Jakob on the other hand has to deal with WRs set during the full-throttle EPO era. The fact we are comparing him with Aouita, and the 5000m WR was 19 seconds faster than Aouita's just 10 years after him, says it all.
I will add though that I agree with your point on him being fortunate with both the 1500 and 5000 records. But, I still think it is impressive because the only other runners in history to hold both of these marks was Iharos in 1955, Hagg in 1942, and lastly Nurmi in 1924. It is a rare and incredible achievement that is unheard of nowadays.
Said was almost certainly a drug cheat. Are we still forgetting him pushing drugs to Aussie runners when he coached them briefly?
He was also named as a client for a Belgian doctor busted for supplying dozens of cyclists and athletes (including Brahmin Bouhlami). This gets forgotten here even more, no matter how many times it is posted. Then there is Aouita's incredible Katir like progression, as well as the fact he was self-coached using 'special methods' yet has failed as a coach of others.
I know that Jakob has not finished his career and he very well may run a 5k or 1500 record one day...but as of now, who is the better runner?
I say Jakob due to 1500m + 5000m Olympic Gold but he also hasn't set the 1500m or 5000m record. Aouita set a WR in every event from 1500m to 5000m other than the mile. SO who would you argue is better and why?
Also, Passant, don't ruin this thread by explaining how Aouita was a product of himself and poverty, Idc.
Id say jakob,because he's won more titles. I suppose if said aouita was running today,with fancy shoes,he would be better. He was near the top of the world from 800 to 10'000 meters
I agree that Jakob is but, for the guys from the past, such as Aouita and Cram, et al, they didn't have as much opportunity to win major championships.
Worlds were 83, 87, 91 then they started every 2 years. There was no Diamond League it was just a European Circuit with some big meets and many smaller meets.