Farewell to Jenny Simpson and Matthew Centrowitz: Which of the American mile legends had the better career?

Centro.

Gold at Olympics. Period.

but, boy, Simpson had a nice career.

Simpson. Great career,. Maybe no olympic gold, but always a threat during the height of her powers. I think she has many more great memories than Centro.

It depends on much weight is given to an Olympic Gold Medal. Who had a better career, Billy Mills or Ron Clarke?

I agree on both statements.

The gold medal in the Olympics is everything in my opinion. So, maybe in this way it is unfair to compare the two.

Farewell to Centro, who became my hero that night he ran his 8:41 HS 2mile in NC against Forys and Jager and Puskedra and all those guys

Watching him win in Rio was like watching him in HS, college, etc. He just had another gear, more than anyone else in the world.

I think the fact Jenny won World gold makes this question more complicated than it would be if she didn't have a global title. I'm never quite sure what to do about world vs Olympic gold, when you get right down to it. Obviously the Olympics are considered more prestigious and it's true that they occur less often, but it's essentially the same competition for track, the WC / OG events are the global championship that happens to be held in that year. Essentially the same bunch of contenders would be there regardless of what you call the meet. Does Jenny lose points compared to Centro because she happened to hit the summit of the world in her event in an odd-numbered year, instead of an Olympic year? I'm not sure a great argument can be made that doesn't rely heavily on "it's the Olympics though!" and/or "but there are fewer Olympic Games than WC's!" which are both pretty arbitrary if you ask me.

Simpson. Six NCAA records (from 1500 to 5000) and the American record in steeple while in college in addition to everything you listed. Overall, she was better longer and over a broader range of events than Centro.

I’m a bigger Jenny fan than a Centro fan but I’d probably lean Centro with the Olympic gold and world indoor gold. Would be different if the gap was wider on overall outdoor medals but Centro still keeps that close. Two of our most decorated ever, so yeah give me either.

Yeah have to agree with this.

You know no disrespect to Simpson because you can only beat who you can beat - but that era of womens 1500m running was, how should I put this, a little softer compared to what we had seen even prior and certainly to what we see now. Hannah England who had a PR of 4.01.89 got silver in that race and a 4.02 runner might not even make the semi-finals at the worlds/Olympics these days and that was Simpsons main competition that day. The world lead that year was 4.00.06 by Morgan Uceny. Simpson was a very good runner but she was ultimately fortunate that her career peak lined up with that was an organic lull in the womens 1500m event. It was bouncing back at the end of her window (2016) but still wasn't super strong - I don't think that's an incendiary statement.

The mens 1500m is just always strong. The depth is so much greater so even a "lull" in the event doesn't deviate it as much from when the event is at its best (like you could argue it was in say 2000-2004 and now 2022-) In 2016 you had Kiprop (and a juiced one at that), Makloufhi coming off 3.28 and 1.42 PR's, Willis who got it right when it mattered and was also a sub 3.30 guy. I wouldn't say that field was an absolute vintage one - but it was still comparatively much stronger than the field when she won her global title.

The world rankings are meaningless. That's comparing apples to oranges. Again you are right - she had a really nice career but Centro had by far the biggest singular moment and backed it up with a few other really strong ones showing it wasn't a fluke. It's him.

I feel like no one ever mentions Kiprop's doping ban and how that impacts Centro's career. If we retrospectively strip kiprops metals in 2011 and 2013 Centro is upgraded to silver and another gold. That's a hell of a career

I'm taking Centro but it is close.

Gault's article detailed both runner's greatest triumph, and you can put an * on each one.

Simpson: 2011 WC Gold*: This was a historically weak year in the 1500, and an even odder race considering Morgan Ucency got tripped with 500 to go and would have been favored over Simpson had she not been tripped.

Centro: 2016 Oly Gold*: The * here is for the historically slow time. However, the field was extremely strong and Centro beat them all. Also, this race has aged like fine wine IMHO, especially in how it changed 1500 meter racing from that day forward. Finally, Centro gets bonus points because he controlled the race from the front, where the race for Simpson essentially blew up in front of her and she took advantage.

On the other hand Simpson clearly had the stronger Diamond League career, and winning the season long diamond league title I think should count as much as a global medal, maybe even more than a bronze or silver.

A great debate and two legendary careers

Whose career would I rather have? Both achieved the peak of their profession… but who had the greater career earnings? that’ll be the tie breaker in whose career I’d rather have.

Forgot whish career was closer to doping?

Centro wins hands down with his coach being banned for doping his athletes. He's #1!

Centro raced dopers and beat many of them. A class act who always ran so brilliantly to have his absolute best performance on the day.

Jenny complained about her competitors beating her (both domestic and international) only because they were cheating. She is the Donald Trump of professional running. "It was rigged!" "I won bigly! It's corruption!"

Farewell to Centro. Good riddance to Simpson.

Uceny got tripped up so often in major finals it was "odder" when she DIDN'T hit the ground. She fell in the 2011 WC, the 2012 London final, and the 2014 US Champs. Maybe she would've been favored if she stayed up, but she had zero feel for racing and you can't say she deserved to win over Simpson.