When Was the Last Time An American Born Distance Runner Ended the Season Ranked #1?

2006

1.................................... Deena Kastor (US)

Some serious wierdness in those T&FN rankings.

The last (only?) time Lagat was ranked #1 was in 2004...when he lost the Olympic gold to El Guerrouj. This was the only time an American citizen managed a #1 ranking for Kenya (look it up). He ENDED the year listed by T&FN as Kenya.

In 2007, when Lagat was the double World Champion (only one ever in 1500 and 5000?)...they had him #2 in BOTH events.

wejo wrote:

being ranked #1 in the world for a full year may be a more impressive accomplishment.

Impressive? Yes. More impressive? No.

Hard to tell you guys were actually competitive racers at one point in time. There is nothing that outshines winning a World or Olympic Championship. After that, there's only rationalizations from those who didn't to make themselves feel better for not winning.

Bruce Bickford

yeah white people!

1985 was a great year for Americans @ 10,000 meters.

Bruce Bickford was ranked #1.

In fact, Americans had the top three times!!!

Mark Nenow and Ed Eyestone completed the triumvirate.

death cube wrote:

yeah white people!

You forgot female. A successsful white female is what this site thrives on (see Lalova and Vessey obsession)

Alysia (Johnson) Montanio, just last year.

Rec Runner x wrote:

Alysia (Johnson) Montanio, just last year.

A World Leading time (http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/tafn-lists?list_id=4&sex_id=W&yyear=2010)

=/=

A #1 Ranking (http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/special-article-right-ad-only/515)

Despite his disappointing performance at worlds, Webb had a better season at 1500/mile than just about anyone in 2007. I don't think he was ranked 1 though. The T&F News rankings are inconsistent at times. If I recall, in 1984, Aouita was ranked 1 at 1500m over Coe (wtf?), I haven't looked at the lists in a while but I remember quite a few wtf? moments when I saw who was ranked over who. I don't recall the last time an american was ranked 1 though.

The addition of Morgan is a plus as we can't think of the last time an American born distance runner was world ranked #1.

Yeah, 2006 sure was a long time ago

wasn't anna willard (pierce) ranked #1 in the 800 in 2009? I'm too lazy to look up the facts, but I think she ran the 1500 at worlds but dominated the 800 at Diamond League

fadfdafda wrote:

wasn't anna willard (pierce) ranked #1 in the 800 in 2009? I'm too lazy to look up the facts, but I think she ran the 1500 at worlds but dominated the 800 at Diamond League

2009

1......................................Caster Semenya (South Africa)

2......................................Anna Willard (US)

She did dominate the Diamond League, but no way she was going to be ranked #1 over the World Champ that also ran the World Leading time (by over 2 full seconds mind you) in the Finals at Worlds

She would have been 5th fastest American in 2009. Nope, dope is not prevelent in world and US middle distance running. Never has been.

Vertigo wrote:

Impressive? Yes. More impressive? No.

Impressive? Yes. More impressive? Yes also.

World Champion= Best in world on that one day

Ranked World No. 1= Consistently the best in the world throughout the entire year.

Lets see? One Day vs Whole Year? Which is more impressive?

ranked = opinion =/= more impressive

Bob Schul was ranked #1 in 1964 in the 2 mile and the 5k.

Let me Google that for you.

In 1974 they put Walker above Bayi...

In 1980 Steve Ovett over Seb Coe...

In 1984 Aouita over Seb Coe...

In 1988 Cram over Aouita, both didn't medal, but yeah perhaps right

Since 1992 take over time of the Africans. 1994 last year a GB runner was ranked. Rui Silva number 3 in 2002?

Don Paige over Coe & Ovett in 1980. Haha!