best runner of all time

Do want best ever divided into two catagories? As in clean, and then juiced?

No disrespect to the runners that you have mentioned but, if we are talking "All Time", my vote goes to the Czech Locomotive, Emil Zatopek.

He revolutionized the sport in his era much like Geb has his. His 1952 Olympic triple gold in the 5K, 10K, and Marathon will likely never be duplicated. In addition, he won a 10K gold and 5K silver at the 1948 Games in London and held 38 world records from 5 to 30K.

He was also the first man to break 29:00 for 10K and one hour for 20K.

It's Zatopek

Although I really like Zatopek, Said Aoutia(sp) was the toughest son of a bitch to ever step on a track. First dude to go under 13:00 and he also ran a race with blood in his shoe. Man thats tough.

he also had amazing range-a bronze in the 800 i believe, in addition to having one of the top 10,000 meter times in history at that point, it was said that he thought the 10k was an easy race, that being said-i have to go with zatopek

Obviously I'm biased, as Haile and Komen are from my era, but damn, they just brought it to a new level. 12:39? That's so insane it's ridiculous.

Insane? Try Seb Coes mark. His 800 record lasted 16 years and his 1000 record lasted 17. He was the first man under 1:43 AND 1:42. Coupled with 4 olympic medals, I think he has a strong case as to the best ever

Bikila, Zatopek, Nurmi, Keino, Coe, Viren

Deak

I don't know but some dude named like Jason Rexing ran a 13:55 in trainers back in like Febuary or March or something.

you mean light trainers!

Let's not forget Clarke, 27:39 in 1968 I think on a dirt or cinder track!, Multi WRs, a beast.

Let's not forget Lopes, Silver in the 10K 1976 behind Viren, 27:17 in 1984 at the time second fastest ever, Gold in the Marathon in 1984 in LA still OGames record 2:09:??, WR in 1985 Marathon of 2:07:11, Multi x WXC champ.

Lets not forget John Walker, first man to run under 3:50 in 1975, First man to ever run 100 sub-4 Miles, WR also in the 2K.

Also don't Let's forget Mr. Henry Rono, kinda good, the 3k, STC, 5K x 2, & 10K WR-holder.

If your definition of "greatness" means dominating his/her era, it's Paavo Nurmi.

Nine Oly golds and three silvers (and likely would have won more in 1932 if he had not been suspended for amateurism problems).

Undefeated career at 10 km, and undefeated in 5km for 8 years.

25 WRs at distances from 1500m to 20 km, including a pair (1500 & 5000) in less than 60 minutes.

Had there been World Rankings in the 1920s and 30s, he would have ranked #1 at least 20 times.

If your definition of "greatness" means socio-political importance, then your nominees are Hannes Kolehmainen, Abebe Bikila, and Kip Keino. The first two were the most important symbols of nationalism in their time. Kolehmainen won Oly golds for Finland before it was even an independent nation, and is regarded as the single most influential figure in the Finnish independence movement. Bikila's Olympic victory in Rome was a symbolic victory over Ethiopia's WWII invaders/pluderers, and he became so wildly popular that Emperor Haile Selassie reportedly became jealous. Keino is still the most important tribal symbol for the Nandi. It's no accident that each started a competitive running revolution in their nations.

Rono - and we never saw his best I suspect given some of his "life issues".

A while back I tried to objectively answer this question. I tried to rank runners in the modern era (after 1948) by assigning point values to Olympic medals, world records and world rankings. I also penalized runners for not having won gold, not having won any Olympic medals, not setting any world records or never ranking #1 in the world. Here's what I came up with for a top 10:

1. Emil Zatopek (Czechoslovakia)

2. Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia)

3. Sebastian Coe (Great Britain)

4. Said Aouita (Morocco)

5. Kip Keino (Kenya)

6. Peter Snell (New Zealand)

7. Vladimir Kuts (Soviet Union)

8. Lasse Viren (Finland)

9. Ronald Clarke (Australia)

10. Steve Ovett (Great Britain)

The difference between Zatopek and Geb is narrowing. If he gets a medal and a high world ranking next year, Geb will pass Zatopek. The active runner closest to cracking the top 10 is El G, who is currently #15. He needs probably two more years of being #1 in the world (and at least an Olympic silver) to vault Ovett for the 10 spot.

Who the hell in their right mind would run 100 x 400 meters? Zatopek spent hours running repeated intervals, which we now benefit from knowing his results. Zatopek might not have the best times now, but he is a legend to the fastest runners in the world right now. He is the best hands down. If he had the facilities and technology we do now, he would totally dominate the best in the world.

My take on these recurrent "best" runner posts is simple: whoever holds the drug-free, certified world record at the time the question was asked is the greatest runner ever to run the distance. All of the other stuff (including the Olympic titles) is cool, can't be taken away, and will probably get you laid, but doesn't really compare to being the fastest person to ever cover a distance.

Athletics of yesterday was easier than Athletics of today. We must think that, when Paavo Nurmi, or Gunder Haegg, or Emil Zatopek were the best, Africa was not yet running in official competitions.

So, I think that Gebre is the best all time, winning always, in a more difficult period of athletics.

A summary of his honors is incredible :

WORLD TITLES :

1 in 1500m indoor (1999)

3 in 3000m indoor (1997 - 1999 - 2003)

4 in 10000m (1993 - 95 - 97 - 99)

1 in Half Marathon (2001)

OLYMPIC TITLES :

2 in 10000m (1996 - 2000)

SILVER MEDALS IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS :

1 in 5000m (1993)

1 in 10000m (2003)

BRONZE MEDAL IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS :

1 in 10000m (2001)

1 in Cross (1994)

WORLD JUNIOR TITLES :

1 in 5000m (1992)

1 in 10000m (1992)

SILVER MEDALS IN WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS :

1 in Cross (1992)

WORLD OUTDOOR RECORDS :

4 in 5000m (12:56.96 in '94 - 12:44.39 in '95 -

12:41.86 in '97 - 12:39.36 in '98)

3 in 10000m (26:43.53 in '95 - 26:31.32 in '97 -

26:22.75 in '98)

WORLD INDOOR RECORDS :

1 in 2000m (4:52.86 in '98)

2 in 3000m (7:30.72 in '96 - 7:26.15 in '98)

1 in 2 Miles (8:04.69 in '03)

3 in 5000m (13:10.98 in '96 - 12:59.04 in '97 -

12:50.38 in '99)

WORLD BEST OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES :

2 in 2 Miles (8:07.46 in '95 - 8:01.08 in '98)

WORLD ROAD RECORD :

1 in 10 km (27:02 in 2002)

PERSONAL BESTS :

800m indoor : 1:49.35 (1997)

1500m indoor : 3:31.76 (1998)

1500m outdoor : 3:33.73 (1999)

1 Mile outdoor : 3:52.39 (1999)

2000m indoor : 4:52.86 (1998) WR

2000m outdoor : 4:56.1 (1997)

3000m indoor : 7:26.15 (1998)

3000m outdoor : 7:25.09 (1998)

2 Miles indoor : 8:04.69 (2003) WR

2 Miles outdoor : 8:01.08 (1998)

5000m indoor : 12:50.38 (1999) WR

5000m outdoor : 12:39.36 (1998) WR

10000m (track) : 26:22.75 (1998) WR

10 km (road) : 27:02 (2002) WR

15 km (road) : 41:38 (2001)

HM : 59:41 (2002)

Marathon : 2:06:35 (2002)

I think that nobody can have in his career so many medals and so many world records, lasting long time. Many years ago, top athletes could concentrate only in OG, and not many competitions every year. Now, it's very more difficult to last long time, as the activity is continuous and without rest. So, if we want to see Gebre's career by years, we can see his continuity :

1992 : World Junior Champion in 5000/10000, silver in Cross

1993 : World Champion in 10000, silver in 5000

1994 : World record 5000, bronze in WCCCh

1995 : World Champion 10000, World Record 2M/5000/10000

1996 : Olympic Ch. 10000, World Indoor Record 3000/5000

1997 : World Champion 10000, World Indoor Ch. 3000,

World Indoor Record 5000, World Record 5000/10000

1998 : World Indoor Record 2000/3000, World Record

2M/5000/10000

1999 : World Champion 10000, World Indoor Champion

1500/3000, World Indoor Record 5000

2000 : Olympic Champion 10000

2001 : World Champion HM, Bronze WCh 10000

2002 : 2:06:35 in Marathon, 59:41 in HM

2003 : World Indoor Champion 3000, World Indoor Record 2M,

Silver WCh 10000, World Record 10 km road.

So, no match with every other distance runner, from the beginning of Athletics.

If Geb doesn't win the title as "best runner of all time" here on Letsrun, something is badly wrong. He also has the best range of anyone in history. Look at the 1500M time, which he put little emphasis on, and look at his FIRST EVER marathon. WOW!

Excellent information, Renato Canova.