Kemboi - The Greatest Steeplechaser Ever?

My mistake: it's "Ezekiel."

I would have to say he is. The only thing he does not have is the world record but he is very close to it and has more than enough medals to make up for it. It would be hard for anyone to make a case otherwise. Shaheen does own the world record but his lack of Olympic medals is too much to overlook. If you put all the great steeplers of all time in a race I am betting Kemboi wins.

He might be the biggest jerk ever. In all seriousness.

Wossamotta wrote:

He might be the biggest jerk ever. In all seriousness.

In all seriousness, you might be the biggest jerk who's ever posted on Letsrun.com. How many gold medals have you won?

I know Kemboi well, I've knew way before he starting winning races. He isn't a jerk. Very confident but not a jerk.

He doesn't take kindly to AK imposing stupid rules on him before big championship events. However, he shows up time and time again and proves he knows what he is doing out there in big races. As a Kenyan, I love it. I wish he could continue running the steeple but as he as eluded in the recent past, he will move on to the marathon. Good luck Kemboi, thank you for all the great memories and upholding the Kenayan mantle in the steeple.

Who cares about the commonweath games?

mellow seeds wrote:

Who cares about the commonweath games?

Kemboi's record, minus his Commonwealth Games medals:

2nd - 2003 World Championship

1st - 2004 Olympics

2nd - 2005 World Championship

2nd - 2007 World Championship

7th - 2008 Olympics

1st - 2009 World Championship

1st - 2011 World Championship

1st - 2012 Olympics

1st - 2013 World Championship (31 years old)

5 Gold, 3 Silver.

mellow seeds wrote:

Who cares about the commonweath games?

I do.

I am only answering your question.

Pertinent to the question at hand, I think he is.

I believe he has dethroned Kiptanui.

I believe Kipruto will be the next in line. He did so much in this race and only lost to the best.

NativeSon wrote:

mellow seeds wrote:

Who cares about the commonweath games?

I do.

I am only answering your question.

I'm with you on this, NativeSon - those medals do count.

GOAT by some distance.

If Shaheen had an Olympic gold then it might be close.

Shaheen could have been so much better, but yes I'd have to say Kemboi is the GOAT.

Kemboi Fan:

Since you know Kemboi, is there a lot of antagonism between Kemboi and the other Kenyan steeplers? The announcers on BBC alluded to it. And Kemboi did stick his finger back at Kiprutu as if to taunt today when he won.

I do like his panache. The dancing. The mohawk haircut. He's quite the character.

Just curious.

Is it possible to agree that he is the GOAT and at the same time disagree with this:

Canova>God wrote:

If you put all the great steeplers of all time in a race I am betting Kemboi wins.

As I believe he would always lose against an in-shape Shaheen (which appeared to be the case when they raced in championship races prior to Shaheen's retirement).

If anyone thinks there is a steepler better at the top of his game, they would probably say Henry Rono. His country boycotted two Olympics when he was on top. He had to set world records initially in collegiate dual meets! No one could ever go with him when he was the leading distance runner. Ask any coach or runner in the late 70's or early 80's. When Henry made his move, not as a kick with 400 to go or less, but when he made a move, no one ever was able to go with him, period. None of the modern guys win with the margins that Rono did.

what happened in 2008?

Dude, I admire Rono as much as the next guy, but Zeke Kemboi would wax him.

Rono's 8:05 in the spring of 1977 during a dual meet speaks volumes. The record today that is under 8minutes is fabulous, but comes thirty-five years later. Go figure! And check out how few steeplechases Rono ran during his career!

g.cooper wrote:Rono's 8:05 in the spring of 1977 during a dual meet speaks volumes. The record today that is under 8minutes is fabulous, but comes thirty-five years later. Go figure! And check out how few steeplechases Rono ran during his career!

malmo does bring up loss to malinowski in '78

that's the '80 champ in 8'09...

i'd luv to here about henry's 8'05