Prefontaine vs Coe vs Ovett vs Rupp

0/10

You can do better.

400 - Coe

800 - Coe

1500 - Ovett

3k (this is a tough one) - Rupp

5k - Rupp

10k - Rupp

3k = Ovett - sit ande kick, every time. I would even consider the 5k iffy for Rupp w Ovett having some chance. Same tactic

TAA wrote:

0/10

You can do better.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I think I should have limited it to the 3-5k between Rupp and Ovett as the most interesting matchup, but I didn't want to leave any others out. I wanted to leave it very open for insight.

Assuming you mean time trial ability:

400 - Coe, Ovett, Rupp, Pre

800 - Coe, Ovett, Rupp, Pre

1500 - Coe, Ovett, Rupp, Pre

3k - Rupp, Ovett, Pre, Coe

5k - Rupp, Pre, Ovett, Coe

10k - Rupp, Pre, Ovett, Coe

One point per place, lowest points wins.

Rupp - 12

Ovett - 14

Coe - 15

Pre - 19

For 400 - 3k it's an obvious toss-up between Coe and Ovett.

5k is a little harder, but I give it to Rupp

10k is obviously Rupp

maxpower wrote:

For 400 - 3k it's an obvious toss-up between Coe and Ovett.

5k is a little harder, but I give it to Rupp

10k is obviously Rupp

Uhh, no.

Coe would get smoked at 3k.

Ovett would run faster than Pre at 3k, but lose to Rupp.

Pre would run faster than the brits at the 5k on up and Rupp runs faster than everyone at the 3k on up.

John Wesley Harding wrote:

3k- 1. Rupp 2. Ovett 3. Coe?--or did he fall off so much over a mile that Pre would've beaten him?

Coe's mile PR was 3:47 and his 3k PR was 7:54.

Pre's mile PR was 3:54 and his 3k PR was 7:42.

That says a lot about their relative endurance. Their PRs at 5k make it even more clear. No chance Coe would beat Pre at 3k.

John Wesley Harding wrote:

5k- 1. Rupp 2. Ovett 3. Pre

Pre would beat Ovett at 5k.

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

At distances 400, 800, 1500, mile, 3k, 5k, and 10k, who do you take? Each guy when he is in his prime.

400 - Coe

800 - Coe

1500 - Ovett

3k (this is a tough one) - Pre/Coe

5k - Pre/Rupp/Ovett

10k - Rupp/Pre

400-Coe

800- Toss up between Coe and Ovett. Seriously 1980 olympic games.

1500- Ovett for sure

3k- Pre/Coe? are you serious? Ovett would still be the favorite in my book.

He absolutely destroys Rono in the last 100m.

5k- Rupp/Ovett/Pre

10k- Rupp/Pre

ovett over coe at 1500m? puuuhlease. coe beat ovett head to head. he took his wr away from him. he'd likely have medaled in seoul if the selectors had taken him.

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

At distances 400, 800, 1500, mile, 3k, 5k, and 10k, who do you take? Each guy when he is in his prime.

400 - Coe

800 - Coe

1500 - Ovett

3k (this is a tough one) - Pre/Coe

5k - Pre/Rupp/Ovett

10k - Rupp/Pre

coe through 3k. rupp over pre in the 5 and 10k, coe and ovett non factors in distance.

400 & 800: Coe (make it a crowded, tactical race & Ovett's chances in the 800 go WAY up..no one was ever better tactically)

1500 - Ovett (in his prime...)

3k: Ovett (anyone who can beat Rono...)

5k: If Ovett had ever trained for it, he'd get my vote, but for now you have to say Rupp. That being said, Ovett's end-of-career Commonwealth is on par with Pre's best ever, so his kick gives him the edge.

10K; Again, I love Pre, but he only had the one race (AR, but a minute slower than Rupp). No brainer for Rupp.

Coe in the 400 and 800

Ovett in the 1500 and 3000

Rupp in the 5000 and 10000

Really shouldn't be any question about any of these for anyone who understands the sport.

Ovett made a mockery of most of his races in his prime (77-80) and I don't think it's a given that Rupp would beat him over 5k without pacers. If Rupp had to push, Ovett would just sit and sit and sit and give him a cursory wave as he trotted past with 80m to go. Ovett's finishing speed was frightening and he never really tested himself over 5000m in his prime so I think it's widely accepted he could have run a lot faster. He ran as fast as he needed to. One of thee most talented middle distance runners we've ever seen. Over 10000m though Rupp would be supreme.

hallamshire harriers wrote:

ovett over coe at 1500m? puuuhlease. coe beat ovett head to head. he took his wr away from him. he'd likely have medaled in seoul if the selectors had taken him.

Ovett beat Coe head to head over 800m twice.

Coe never beat Ovett over 800m.

So in this hypothetical race, Ovett beats Coe at 800m?

fan of US distance running wrote:

Coe never beat Ovett over 800m.

Forgot to say, not counting LA '84 when Ovett was very ill.

Steven Ovett wrote:

Ovett made a mockery of most of his races in his prime (77-80) and I don't think it's a given that Rupp would beat him over 5k without pacers. If Rupp had to push, Ovett would just sit and sit and sit and give him a cursory wave as he trotted past with 80m to go. Ovett's finishing speed was frightening and he never really tested himself over 5000m in his prime so I think it's widely accepted he could have run a lot faster. He ran as fast as he needed to. One of thee most talented middle distance runners we've ever seen. Over 10000m though Rupp would be supreme.

52.5 for the last 400, roughly 25.7-25.8 for the last 200, and that's finishing in a solid 13:22. I don't think Ovett would have had the wheels to go with that at the end of a 5k of that nature. Maybe if he had spent his career focusing on the 5k he could have, but not in his normal 800/1500 shape.

Also, Rupp has run 13:01 indoors and consistently runs under 13:05 in competitive races. I don't think Ovett has him beat in the 5k.