You neophytes need to study the history of the sport if you have the misconception that any woman distance runner is greater than The Empress Junxia Wang. I shall teach you forthwith.
WORLD RECORD ANNIHILATION
Prior to the ascendance of Empress Wang, Ingrid Kristiansen was the greatest thing in women's distance running since sliced bread. The Norwegian woman simultaneously held the women's world records in the 5k, 10k, and marathon. Her record in the 10k, the event which was the nexus of her powers, was more than 43 seconds faster than the second-best lady in history at that time, Liz McColgan, mother of Eilish. Then Empress Wang came along and annihilated Kristiansen's 10k record by nearly 42 seconds!
BEST 10K WORLD RECORD SINCE THE DAWN OF THE IAAF ERA
To help you understand the magnificence of Empress Wang's 29:31.78 10k world record, she averaged 14:45.89 per 5k. At that time, only two women had ever run one 5k faster than Empress Wang's average in a 10k! The second-fastest woman in the 5k back then was at 14:44!
The 5k world record was Kristiansen's 14:37.33, which was only 8.56 seconds faster than Empress Wang's average in a 10k! The equivalent today would be a woman running a 10k in 28:17! Unthinkable!
RAAAAAAAANGE
All of you who think Sifan Hassan has the best range in history are sadly mistaken. I shall now educate you about the range of Empress Wang. In the spring of 1993, Empress Wang ran her debut in the full marathon in 2:24:07. That time made her the 5th fastest woman in history. In her debut! Less than 5 months later, Empress Wang ran 3:51.92 in the 1500m, finishing 2nd behind Yunxia Qu and running faster than the great Tatyana Kazankina's world record 3:52.47 which had stood for 13 years!
I defy you to find another woman since the dawn of the IAAF era who was top 5 in history in both the 1500m and the marathon, in a span of less than 5 months. You cannot!
GOLDEN EMPRESS
At the 1993 World Championships in Athletics, Empress Wang showed Haile Gebrselassie what true greatness in the 10k looks like. While Gebrselassie could only win his 10k championship race by barely half a second, Empress Wang won hers by over 23 seconds! She completely laid waste to all foes who dared to challenge her.
Empress Wang has the permanent special status as being the first women's Olympic Champion in the 5k. She is also the first woman to medal in both the 5k and the 10k in the same Olympiad. She was a trailblazer for others to follow!
THAT GLORIOUS 8:06.11 3K WORLD RECORD
Before September 1993, the women's 3k world record was the great Tatyana Kazankina's 8:22.62, which had stood since August 1984. The American Darling Mary Slaney was next on the list at 8:25.83. Empress Wang ran the 3k almost 20 seconds faster than Mary Slaney!
Over 30 years later, Empress Wang's record still stands tall. It is the longest standing distance world record in the book. Even with all of modern society's advanced chemicals, fine tuned nutrition, sophisticated training, enhanced tracks, wavy lights, and super shoes, nobody can sniff Empress Wang's record!
Bow down to The Empress. 🇨🇳