Awesome NY Times article on Bekele's debut in Paris - Hermens on Bekele and Haile - 'They’re not really friends'

No:

Bikila--> Russell

Yifter --> I guess Oscar

Haile--> Magic

Kenenisa--> MJ

Farah --> Dirk

So that would make Paul Tergat as Larry Bird, the greatest of all time.

George Jung wrote:

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even if neither spoke a word, Geb's presence and smile is leagues ahead.

Plus his career paved the way for modern Ethiopian success. Every step that Bekele has taken was made by Geb first.

Miruts Yifter paved the way for modern Ethiopian success. Gebrselassie wasn't the birth of Ethiopian distance running. Their progression in terms of the events they race seems natural. Juniors/XC, track, road. Is this really attributable to Gebrselassie?

Every successive step Kenenisa takes betters Geb's accomplishments--- why would the marathon be an exception? Kenenisa is the greatest distance runner that has ever lived. This fact will be indisputable as Kenenisa builds his road prowess.

Because Bekele is a 12:55/26:55 guy now. Maybe he can suddenly get good again, but fact is he hasn't done better than those marks with 2 full years to train.

Neither of them started the whole Ethiopian running greatness thing.

Abebe Bikila did and it has been continuous since then.

Ethiopia has never missed a year since 1960 when at least one of their runners hasn't been doing something incredible.

Bikila lit the flame for all of Africa, and Wolde, Yifter, et al kept it burning for Ethiopia, but most years were far from "incredible", until Geb started tearing into the records like a hungry lion, bringing not only a wave of countrymen with him, but the Kenyans and the rest of the world with him.

We will never again in our lifetime see 15+ seconds taken from the 5000 WR and 30+ from the 10000, much less doing it with a smile and wave both before and after.

As for the poster saying that Berlin is a major, the years that Geb went after the record, they were basically time trials. Nothing like the fields you now see in London, Chicago, or even Dubai and NYCM. Also, the Olympic marathon is no longer really a major title, money has made it secondary. For Bek to surpass would require both require a WR AND a victory over a strong field, though perhaps in separate races.

yes ,geb took a whole 11 seconds off the 5000m record in one race

that probably trumps bekele being the current record holder for the distance imo

A Girl Like You wrote:

Bikila lit the flame for all of Africa, and Wolde, Yifter, et al kept it burning for Ethiopia, but most years were far from "incredible", until Geb started tearing into the records like a hungry lion, bringing not only a wave of countrymen with him, but the Kenyans and the rest of the world with him.

We will never again in our lifetime see 15+ seconds taken from the 5000 WR and 30+ from the 10000, much less doing it with a smile and wave both before and after.

Just the act of winning a World Championship, Major or setting a WR is pretty incredible.

Not too many gaps in those years, if any.

Yifter was there throughout the whole decade of the '70s.

Kedir and Debele win WCC in '82 and '83. Densimo WR in the Marathon in '88. Mekkonen wins Boston in '89.

Then just a couple of years later Geb emerges.

Geb ran 12:39 and 26:22, which blew the previous world records out of the water.

Bekele has the cross dominance, while Geb has the marathon.

If Bekele has a great marathon career, he is the GOAT. Otherwise, I think it's close but I would give it to Geb.

And there is something to be said for Geb's passion, his smile, and what he's done for the sport that Bekele has not.

Abebe Bikila is the grandfather of Ethiopia distance running.

logic here wrote:

Geb ran 12:39 and 26:22, which blew the previous world records out of the water. ...

No - Geb's 12:39 broke Komen's 12:39 by less than half a second.

Yup Komen pushed the 3000 and 5000 with unheard pf pace

wtfunny wrote:

logic here wrote:

Geb ran 12:39 and 26:22, which blew the previous world records out of the water. ...

No - Geb's 12:39 broke Komen's 12:39 by less than half a second.

EthioAmeri wrote:

No:

Bikila--> Russell

Yifter --> I guess Oscar

Haile--> Magic

Kenenisa--> MJ

Farah --> Dirk

I like that very much, except Farah needs a better counterpart metaphor. But all else is spot on. There's NO WAY (in reference to the post before this quoted post) that Haile would be MICHAEL J. while Bekele is Lebron, that's bogus.

Bekele got smoked by El G in an Olympic final in his prime. Geb would never have let that happen.

Asdfghjkl wrote:

Bekele got smoked by El G in an Olympic final in his prime. Geb would never have let that happen.

do we know this ?

did geb attempt any doubles like bekele after 93 defeat?

Asdfghjkl wrote:

Bekele got smoked by El G in an Olympic final in his prime. Geb would never have let that happen.

You don't let it happen, it happens.

ABEBE BIKILAOG GOLD 1960 and 1964 both WRs

Track Historian wrote:

Abebe Bikila is the grandfather of Ethiopia distance running.

never lost the spirit- he was entered in the 1972 ParaOlympics

Asdfghjkl wrote:

Bekele got smoked by El G in an Olympic final in his prime. Geb would never have let that happen.

Gebs got smoked in the 5000m at the WC in '93 as well, and ever since,, he's doged every major 5000m and ran the time trials

Bikila won the Olympic Marathon, back to back. A feat that only Cierpinski was able to repeat.

But if you're looking at all of T&F, Bolt already surpassed both of them with his double triple. If he threepeats in Rio and achieves the TRIPLE TRIPLE, he will clearly retire as the GOAT.

The other guy! wrote:

Bikila won the Olympic Marathon, back to back. A feat that only Cierpinski was able to repeat.

Frank Shorter repeated it if you discount outed drug cheats.

Which would also make him the only other person to have done it.