Who are the top 5 most TALENTED runners of the current era

On a provincial level, Mary Cain could be on that list based on her amazing performances as a junior

Asbel Kiprop's the most talented, just races like a ninny a lot of the time. Sometimes I feel like he doesn't even want to win.

Rupp
Farrah
Centro
Levins
Jenkins

American Pharaoh (triple crown)
Donald J Trump (ran successful campaign)
Usain Bolt (gets the chicks)
Jared Leto (new Blade Runner movie)
some waitress at Outback (just ran to get my order turned in)

Interesting people put Farah, given that he wasn't good until far later in his career than most peak at.

KB definitely. Kiprop seems like another good pick, and Kipchoge (beating KB and El Guerrouj at 18!!!).

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GoldenMiles wrote:

Interesting people put Farah, given that he wasn't good until far later in his career than most peak at.

KB definitely. Kiprop seems like another good pick, and Kipchoge (beating KB and El Guerrouj at 18!!!).

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Talent to me means eye-opening, wow -

David Rudisha
Kenenisa Bekele
Asbel Kiprop
Ezekiel Kemboi
Usain Bolt
Wayde Van Niekerk
Kirani James

geoffrey kamworor
Kenenisa Kebele
Eliud Kipchoge
Absel Kiprop
David Rudisha
Ezekiel Kemboi
Wayde van Nieuwkerk
Usain Bolt

If Farah had great talent he would have been winning in his twenties.

Bolt is the most talented runner but I guess you were referring to distance talent.

You know Kiprop has great talent because we saw it right away.
He had to figure out how to race and took a while before had the courage to push races to run fast times.

Kipchoge demonstrated talent right away and has had the talent over a great range of distances,

Of course Bekele is top five, no analysis needed.

There is also under developed talent out there.
Like Gebremeskel.
I think he is top five in pure talent.

Nijel Amos rounds out my top five in distance talent.

Talented in what sense? Clearly in terms of winning major races and medals at his best distances Farah is the most talented. In terms of potential to break world records or run fast then that Is a different question.

I answer this question like this. If I was into genetic cloning or DNA mapping and I was trying to create a human that would become the fastest long distance runner in the history of the world, I'd probably start with genes of the fastest long distance in the history of the world. KB. The man is an efficient muscular and aerobic machine. David Rudisha would probably be up there but David is so finely tuned to the distance of 800 meters. He is so comfortable at that pace, distance, and trainining necessary to be the world's best at that event but just like the great Renaissance painters... when you want to be the best of all time, you got to show your mastery over various mediums. But looking at David's stride, his comfort level when running such fast times, and long-term dominance over 800, would make him a very interesting canddidate as well.

you might want to add Rudisha on that list

I am saying that Nijel Amos is more talented than David Rudisha and that Rudisha has honed is talent better.


1:41 and 45. at age 18 is raw talent when he was only at 1:47 the year before.
He's had a couple of 1:42 years since but hasn't been able to put it all together again.
It's not lack of talent that has stopped him from getting better. It's unfortunate injuries and maybe not having the same mental fortitude.

Male distance running. Close your eyes and pick 5 Kenyan's or Ethiopian's.
There that good.

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olyrun wrote:

Male distance running. Close your eyes and pick 5 Kenyan's or Ethiopian's.
There that good.

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The East Africans don't have access to the facilities and training methods and diet that Rupp has.

I assume Rupp doesn't have the talent to thrive under African conditions.

Mahkloufi!!!!

Mike Rossi. I mean, the dude's race times outstrip his physical potential by the widest margin in history.

farah, not on the talent list. look at where he was 7-8 years ago....he's done a lot of work and who knows what

Rudisha is pure talent. He ran like 1:50 in his first ever 800m. as a time trial. he has 45 400m speed. he is the definition of talent.

robby andrews is another example of crazy talent. he's definitely more physically talented than centrowitz but that's not the only key to the equation

you seem to think that talent is simply how good you are at this moment, when i would argue it is how good you are with little training

komen = crazy talent + probably epo

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celery wrote:

While on a run yesterday (thinking about KB and Kipchoge) I started to ponder who the most talented runners are of the current era. My thoughts are:
KB
Kipchoge
Farah
Lagat
Wanjiru
(in that order)

I'm not sure if I would put runners like Rudisha, Asbel, or the top marathoners (Mutai, Kipsang, etc.) on this list. What do you all think?

Notice this is a not a discussion about overall ranking or GOAT status (which compiles a runners accomplishments) but just an estimation of a runner's raw potential or ability. Obviously runners with short careers like Wanjiru have relatively few accomplishment, but his performance in a few races indicated a formidable talent seen in few runners.

Also, I consider Haile, Komen, Hicham, and Target as part of the previous era, not eligible for this discussion. I know there is some overlap since some on the two lists have had very long careers.

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