Greatest Surprise victory?

Jeilan over Farah last year was pretty big.

I think Eliud Kipchoge over two of the greatest in El G and Bekele in the WC 2003 5k is one of the best races I've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBIkIIC7CQU

That was pretty nice to see that Kipchoge race.

An entire 5000m. No commercials. No field event shots.

Billy Mills obviously.

Ridiculous.

To get any meaningful discussion going let's just say, greatest upset other than Billy Mills.

The Dingo wrote:

Jeilan over Farah last year was pretty big.

I think Eliud Kipchoge over two of the greatest in El G and Bekele in the WC 2003 5k is one of the best races I've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBIkIIC7CQU

Who is the American sounding commentator on that race? I hear him a lot in the early 2000s distance races but never know who it is.

Strictly running, or will the decathlon count? If it does, then Bob Mathias '48. Who expects a win out of a 17 year old decathlon novice??

mills

Keino was big and his time was even bigger

Upset over Man o'War in 1919, obviously.

They don't call it a Mills, they call it an Upset.

Bikila's first OG win (1960). A *complete* unknown in a strong field.

Mills

Wottle

Peter Rono

Paraskevi Patoulidou

Dieter Baumann

David 1, Goliath 0. No one saw that coming...

Former Average Runner wrote:

Mills

Wottle

Peter Rono

Mills and Peter Rono were huge upsets.

Wottle? He was the world record holder.

Moses' first gold

+1 for Jeilan. Be honest, how many of you knew who he was before that race?

Baldini in 2004 is another big one that I'm surprised nobody has mentioned. If anybody beats Rudisha this year that would probably rank up there with the greatest as well.

Teddy Roosevelt ending a greater than 0 for 500 losing streak in the president's race at the Washington Nationals game today. Nats responded with a rally in the bottom of the 4th. Front page news in Washington, DC!

The 1983 WC 800 meter(men)

Herr Willi Wulbeck

Olaf Byer beating Coe and Ovett in '78

Gerry Lingren over the Russians in '64

Keino over Ryun at Mexico City in '68

Vassala over Keino at Munich in '72