The more I watch 800 meters races in the past 20 years, the more I miss Joaquim Cruz. !'41"73. 1'42's few times, 1'43/1'44 in a regular working day. GREAT JOAQUIM!! WE MISS YOU!!
The more I watch 800 meters races in the past 20 years, the more I miss Joaquim Cruz. !'41"73. 1'42's few times, 1'43/1'44 in a regular working day. GREAT JOAQUIM!! WE MISS YOU!!
Another Ignoramus statement. How about Wilson Kipketer?Case closed.
Brazilian Coelho wrote:
The more I watch 800 meters races in the past 20 years, the more I miss Joaquim Cruz. !'41"73. 1'42's few times, 1'43/1'44 in a regular working day. GREAT JOAQUIM!! WE MISS YOU!!
Not an ignoramus. Just a personal opinion, perhaps biased but I think you need to understand the spirit in which the post was made: He's speaking as a big fan of Cruz clearly.
Lighten up kid. Cut someone a little slack.
While Kipketer is also my choice as the best ever, Cruz is a very strong number two. Olympic gold and silver. WC bronze. 5 of the 20 fastest times ever run (only Kipketer has more, with 9). His series in the four rounds in Los Angeles was stunning: 1:45.66, 1:44.84, 1:43.82, 1:43.00.
Yes, I thought Tracker1 was rather harsh about our Brazilian colleague’s comment.
We certainly never did see enough of Cruz.
I don’t know what happened - injuries maybe?
But he was magnificent at the 84 Olympics running a 1.45 - 1.45 - that might have been a 44, but I do know he ran a 1.44 semi and won the gold in 1.43.00.
The following year he came to Europe and in a shortened tour ran 1.41.77.
Not bad even when compared to Kipketer’s world record of 1.41.11.
And that was it - I suppose he did ran again, but I can’t recall anything like as well as in those two years.
Reading Ol Grumpus, I now see his Olympic runs were even better than I’d thought they were.
He's training Alice Schmidt right now...maybe when she gets over her foot injuries we'll see some of his former glory through her!
Did Wilson ran 1'44'3(I was at the stadium) at age of 18 y old?
Did Wilson ran 1'44'3(I was at the stadium) at age of 18 y old? WR Junior
My boy Wilson was in EPO for sure, I know him well back in Kenya, and I lived with him in Europe. Joaquim it was way more talent and clean.
1) Kipketer
2) Cruz
3) Coe
Case closed
kenyan wrote:
My boy Wilson was in EPO for sure, I know him well back in Kenya, and I lived with him in Europe. Joaquim it was way more talent and clean.
yes yes, I know Jesus
kenyan wrote:
My boy Wilson was in EPO for sure, I know him well back in Kenya, and I lived with him in Europe. Joaquim it was way more talent and clean.
And I´m Santa Claus.
Brazilian Coelho wrote:
Did Wilson ran 1'44'3(I was at the stadium) at age of 18 y old? WR Junior
The answer to the question of who is the "greatest ever" is a matter of achievement, not potential. Kipketer simply achieved more in his career than did Cruz: three World Championships, Olympic silver and bronze (and the loss of a near-certain gold in 1996 because of citizenship issues), 7 of the 9 fastest times ever run, 21 of the 60 sub-1:43s ever run.
Still, Cruz's talent was stunning. In one week in August 1984, he ran 1:42.34, 1:42.41, and 1:41.77. He also ran sub-1:43 three times in a week in August 1985. If it weren't for his many injuries, who knows what he might have achieved?
Wilson Kipketer leads all 800 runners in sub 1:43.00 performances with 22 total.
Cruz is second with 6.
Rudolf Harbig from Germany took the record down 1.8 seconds in '39 and held it thru WWII until '51.He held the 400 WR also(10 years) would give Juantorena a challange for best 400/800 combo guy. I'd put him just behind these guys In order-Kipketer Snell Coe and just above the Brazilian Champ Joaquim Carvallho(sp?) Cruz. Going 6 deep I'd put Ted Meridith USA --held the first ratified 800 record for 15 or more years and was another of those 400/800 guys. It's really hard to cross all those years to get a real "best ever" . My choices are guys I've seen Kip, Snell, Coe, Cruz.
Borzakovskiy vrs Johnny Gray with 200 to go... the gap could be 14-16 metres and it would still be a crap shoot who gets there first.
Sounds fair.
No to 2012 wrote:
We certainly never did see enough of Cruz.
I don’t know what happened - injuries maybe?
I remember reading how Cruz was very outspoken against drug use and there were pressures on him to keep quiet; some drama like that. He is coaching some top level runners now.
I had the privilge of seeing him run as a junior in 1980 at the Pan Am juniors in Sudbury. The guy was truly amazing. I think he was only 21 in LA so not really at his natural peak yet.
When you have Alberto Juantone claping for you, you must be "the man"