Who is the best world miler/1500m runner EVER?

"self-appointed athletics historian" I think he said a "decent historian" and even if you did know who they were you have just confirmed what he said you would do "yes, I know that now some smartass will go and look it up on Wikipedia"

El G

Cram

Morceli

Bashing Forums wrote:

"self-appointed athletics historian" I think he said a "decent historian" and even if you did know who they were you have just confirmed what he said you would do "yes, I know that now some smartass will go and look it up on Wikipedia"

I didn't have to look it up sunshine - I happened to know these things. All the way from the great Walter George to Hicham El Guerrouj - I have just read a little bit more than you Mr Rourkes Drift.

not a smartarse just someone well read

I don't want to turn this into a doping thread, but I really don't think El Gerrouj was clean. If he was then he's obviously a quite amazing runner and my belief that he was on drugs is a compliment.

Without looking anything up, it's pretty easy to remember and name Michel Jazy...a future world recordholder in the mile...as someone Herb Elliot beat in the Olympics.

That having been said, I might give Morceli the edge over El G as the all-time best.

Rorkes Drift wrote:

Rorke,

are you south african or a brit? the name makes me wonder.

skdfkf wrote:

Jim Ryun was the most talented miler ever. With today's training, Ryun could have run much faster.

I am not sure that Ryun used the best training methods known at the time. That was Snell. But since Ryun beat Snell, some "Jayhawks" claim that Bob Timmons was a better coach than Arthur Lydiard.

When non-Jayhawks name the greatest middle-distance gurus of all time, they're far more likely to include Lydiard rather than Timmons.

Here's a quiz question. What name does not belong with the other three?

1) Lydiard

2) Bowerman

3) Daniels

4) Timmons

No Coe ... uh guys, he won back to back 1,500 gold medals.

1. El G

2. Coe

Clearly Ryun had a load of talent but what you do as a junior doesn't actually count!

it does if you're one of the fastest in the world jackass

Anyone who puts Webb seriously in that list is a f***ing smuck.

1. El Guerrouj

2. Morceli

3. Coe

Rorkes Drift wrote:

...Ryun faced some tough competition (Snell early on, followed by Keino, Walker, et al.)...

...But, unfortunately, his career was plagued by injury, and he was never quite as consistently competitive as someone like Coe, and never had the prolonged dominance of a Morceli or el Guerrouj.

1. El G

2. Morceli

3. Coe

Rorkes Drift, I don’t like to compare athletes from different eras, but I would agree with you about the first three. Just one correction: Ryun never ran against Walker.

I am well informed because Walker was my idol in the 1970s. However, despite I admire him, to be sincere I would not put him among the top three.

In order to copmplete top 10, after the three top milers you pointed I would like to add seven other names without ranking them (too difficult task):

4-7

Aouita

Cram

Ovett

Elliott

Walker

Scott

Snell

Sorry, forgot Ryun. Please, add him in the list.

Sorry, forgot Ryun. He is also in the top 10. If you want me to remove one name, I am in trouble. Maybe Snell? Or Cram? They're all great - one more reason to dislike comparison of different era athletes.

I am tempted to quote Walker: "You've got to look at each generation on its merits - the coaching, the tracks and the competition and what the races were all about."

Filbert Bayi deserves a mention. People talk about Pre laying it down, but Bayi was the ultimate front runner. When he was not suffering from malaria he was awesome at his best. I wish someone would post the epic Walker/Bayi 1500 from the 74 Commonwealths.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qthi7ZnNdAA

To the person who asked who Herb Eliot beat in his Olympic final, I know without looking that Michel Jazy of France won the silver, he set a number of world records from 1500-5k, I believe. I don't know about anyone beyond that, but it wasn't like he beat a total nobody.

I'd take El Geurrouj for sure. On August 3, 1996, he came in last in the Olympic final after falling. On July 2, 2004, he came in 8th at the Rome Golden League meet. Between those two races, a span of 7 years and 11 months, he lost a grand total of ONE 1500 meter race, the 2000 Olympic final. 68 races, he won 67 of them. He also lost one mile race, the Grand Prix final in 1997, out of 17 that he entered. That record is beyond amazing. The sport has also been said to have grown more competitive as the year's go by, and if that is true, than he was dominating in a more competitive era than ever.

I might also put Steve Ovett in my top 10, although I'm not sure who I would put him in place of.

Steve Crovett

Some of the less well read and dare I say younger posters on here may not be able to remember Jazy, Bernard, Burleson, Grelle etc, but I wonder how many people on here will have heard of Lagat and Ngeny in 40 years time. Jazy, Burleson and Grelle were the Scotts, Lagats, Liquoris (there's a name everyone seems to forget!) of their time.

I note you mention Cacho. Now he is someone who could arguably be ranked in the top 10 in his own right. Olympic champion with a sub 50 last lap. Got to be considered pretty special.

Have to admit that El G is right up there, but he's in the pack with, Coe, Ovett, Morceli, Snell, Walker, etc all chasing Elliott.

Seb Coe

2 Olympic Golds

Numerous world records

And during a time when the track and field world was more competitive than it was back in the days of Bannister, Elliot and Snell.