ScottEvil wrote:
That's unkind of you to say, GOB. Bekele is my favorite athlete, and I think it's pretty much consensus to say that he's the greatest track athlete of all time. Kipchoge has an overall better road-racing record. I would rank Kipchoge ahead on one crtiteria -- range, on which I think he's second only to Geb. Tergat in third and then Bekele.
If Bekele runs some 2:04s he moves up.
Very interesting that you mention this: "I would rank Kipchoge ahead on one crtiteria -- range, on which I think he's second only to Geb. Tergat in third and then Bekele".
Geb and Kipchoge share one achievement where they both top Bekele: They broke 13 mins for 5000m each year for 9 years(though not consecutively for Kipchoge), the most by any athlete in history! Bekele came close with 8. As for the marathons, apart from Sammy Wanjiru and Dennis Kimetto, no other athlete has stepped up to the marathon and achieved immediate success in a dominating fashion than Kipchoge. Even Wilson Kipsang started out at 2:07 and has had to finish out of top three a few times. So, yes, Kipchoge ranks second to Geb and Bekele after Tergat.