Ricans wrote:
Deanouk wrote:Forget about a 4:06 mile, Coe's Moscow 800 is all the evidence one needs to see just how quick he was.
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He got smoked in that race.
I think that's the point.
Coe managed to generate the same closing speed in a faster 800 than Ryun managed in a 1500, but still lost. You do what you need to win a race, and sometimes the absolute best of an athlete is not required. But when you've put yourself in an almost impossible position to win, you are forced to go all out to try and catch the leader or get back on terms.
In terms of winning important races, Ryun's record doesn't compare. Those who claim he was better because of crazy splits in slow or unimportant races, need to recognise the fact that there have been others who could have managed similar finishing ability in the right situation.
If there has never been the need for someone to go all out over the last 300m to win in an average 3:38 time, then it's pretty moot point.
To think that Coe, with 45 sec 400 ability couldn't close a 3:38 1500 in 50 sec off the same lap times as Ryun, when he has run the equivalent of a sub 50 sec at the end of a 1:44 800 is plain silly.
I don't doubt that there have been a handful of others who could manage something similar too.
Ryun has never finished a 3:38 1500 in 12.1 for the last 100m, as Coe did in Moscow, off a last 700m at 1:46 pace. Just because he has never actually done it, doesn't mean he couldn't do this either. I expect he could in the right circumstances.
But if I had to bet my house on one of them to win an important race over 8 or 15 in their primes, I would go for Coe every time.