Dopin' Danny wrote:
The OP didn't ask who was the quintessential sidekick. Komen > Sihine.
Twinn wrote:Right answer. Tergat dominated Cross Country. Tedesse dominated the Half. Ngyen didn't dominate, but stamped himself as the winner of the 4-year-Olympic cycle.
Is it fair to say he dominated the 3k/2M? As much as one can dominate an off event?
Eulace Peacock
I know some won't agree but I think a case can be made for Lagat. His entire time running for Kenya was dominated by El G. He won a couple of golds in 2007 but the fields were weak. No Ramzi, Kiprop was only 18, Bekele did not run the 5K.
No world records, and his fastest times were set in races someone else won.
My mistake, Ramzi won silver in 2007, but I think my point still holds.
Paul K Koech. He won so many diamond leagues but will be nearly forgotten to history.
Its looking like the same could be said for Silas Kiplagat.
Galen "1st Loser" Rupp
Merlene Ottey.
Kriss Akabusi
barley wrote:
I know some won't agree but I think a case can be made for Lagat. His entire time running for Kenya was dominated by El G. He won a couple of golds in 2007 but the fields were weak. No Ramzi, Kiprop was only 18, Bekele did not run the 5K.
No world records, and his fastest times were set in races someone else won.
Lagat was my first thought too when I saw the thread title. He's amongst the best runners never to win Olympic gold, he's been competing at pretty much the top of the game for nearly 20 years, and I think you could make a very good argument that he was the second best 1500 guy in the world from ~1999 - 2005 and the second best 5k guy in the world from 2006 - 2010. Probably still the 3rd best 5k guy in the world 2011 - 2012--he would have medaled in London if Koech (I think?) hadn't tripped him up at the end.
Obviously he's still phenomenally good, and he was definitely dominant--just not completely dominant--he never managed the unbroken string of victories that athletes like El G, Bekele, or Edwin Moses pulled off.
Jim Peters
Ron Clarke
Jim Ryun
Emiel Puttemans
Dick Quax
Henry Reno
Dave Bedford
Frankie Fredericks
Mike Powell
Marlene Ottey
Leroy Burrell
Colin Jackson