Sourced wrote:
I will admit that I'm a fan of Centro. That said,
He does not need anything else. He is the GOAT miler (1500er, whatever) in US history. He is third fastest US 1500 man ever (behind two men not born or raised in the US).
Once he runs under 3:30 later this year (and presumably breaks the AR), there will be no argument against him. People who say Jim Ryun is better because he had the WR are delusional.
Hilarious. YOU are delusional.
Centro doesn't have the American mile record. He doesn't have the American 1500m record. And he doesn't have any world #1 rankings.
You CANNOT be the greatest miler / 1500 meter runner in American history without, at the very least, setting American records in those events. Nor can you do so when your highest world ranking is 5. His world rankings by the way are 8 (2011), 5 (2012), 8 (2013), and 10 (2015),
Jim set two long standing world records and was ranked #1 in the world on two occasions. His world rankings were 4 (1965), 1 (1966), 1 (1967), 2 (1968), 7 (1969), 6 (1971), and 9 (1972).
Jim was four times ranked better than Centro's best ever ranking. Jim broke the American 1500m record 3 times. He broke the American mile record four times. He broke the world 1500m record once. And he broke the world mile record twice.
Top 4 greatest American milers of all time:
1. Jim Ryun
2. Glenn Cunningham (4th & 2nd at Olympics, mile world record)
3. Steve Scott (WC silver, world ranked 9 (1977), 7 (1978), 3 (1979), 4 (1980), 4 (1981), 2 (1982), 2 (1983), 8 (1984), 7 (1985), 3 (1986), 6 (1988), long standing American mile record, 2nd fastest mile ever)
4. Bernard Lagat (WC gold & bronze, world ranked 2 (2005), 3 (2006), 2 (2007), 7 (2009), long (still) standing American 1500m record)
At the moment, Centro is no higher than #5. If he breaks the American mile and 1500m records and receives a world ranking of 2, he will be #3 on the above list.