3000m race at the Olympics - Who would have won?

''I don`t think the Englishman and I will run against each other this year, but you can read the results to know who is stronger,'' Aouita said.

''I ran a 3:30.69 at Oslo, and I have the world record. I have always done better than Cram, and you know that. If Cram wants to run the 1,500 against me, I am ready at any time.''

But not this time, of course. And apparently not at the Grand Prix final in Brussels a week from Friday.

''Why don`t we meet there in the 5,000?'' Aouita said. ''I have been preparing for a month with the 5,000 in mind, and now I should go to meet Cram in his event?''

Hilarious.

I am surprise money (promoter) couldn't bring the two together. Everyone has a price.

Coevett wrote:

Ovett was probably in 1:42/3:28/12:55 shape in 78.

Intrinsic^

Intrinsic ......? Venti??

If an athlete could run 1:42 and 12:55 then he is simply going to run at least 3:25 if not 3:24. Insane post as always with no science behind it or understanding of the sport

Why don't you just add more fictitious times to Ovett's career? Perhaps he could also run 44.0 and 26:30?

Deary me wrote:

Coevett wrote:

Ovett was probably in 1:42/3:28/12:55 shape in 78.

Intrinsic^

Intrinsic ......? Venti??

If an athlete could run 1:42 and 12:55 then he is simply going to run at least 3:25 if not 3:24. Insane post as always with no science behind it or understanding of the sport

Why don't you just add more fictitious times to Ovett's career? Perhaps he could also run 44.0 and 26:30?

Is this a joke?!

Ovett a great runner but underachieved in his career.

After after 1981, his career essentially went downhill with one or two highlights e.g the WR and 1986 CG gold.

Aouita destroyed Ovett in the 1987 WC.

A slow race in 1992, Dieter Baumann could win it.

Nix wrote:

Deary me wrote:

Intrinsic ......? Venti??

If an athlete could run 1:42 and 12:55 then he is simply going to run at least 3:25 if not 3:24. Insane post as always with no science behind it or understanding of the sport

Why don't you just add more fictitious times to Ovett's career? Perhaps he could also run 44.0 and 26:30?

Is this a joke?!

Ovett a great runner but underachieved in his career.

After after 1981, his career essentially went downhill with one or two highlights e.g the WR and 1986 CG gold.

Aouita destroyed Ovett in the 1987 WC.

In addition to “intrinsic” (and “wabbit”...and “Peking”), Ventolin also used to often say, “Is this a joke?” Please tell me you’re still with us, Ventolin!

Nix wrote:

Deary me wrote:

Intrinsic ......? Venti??

If an athlete could run 1:42 and 12:55 then he is simply going to run at least 3:25 if not 3:24. Insane post as always with no science behind it or understanding of the sport

Why don't you just add more fictitious times to Ovett's career? Perhaps he could also run 44.0 and 26:30?

Is this a joke?!

Ovett a great runner but underachieved in his career.

After after 1981, his career essentially went downhill with one or two highlights e.g the WR and 1986 CG gold.

Aouita destroyed Ovett in the 1987 WC.

Ovett was clearly suffering from the heat again in the 87 WC. He beat just about everybody over 5000m that season except Aouita. He was indeed a spent force after 87. In his Commonwealth Games 86 form he would have given Aouita a good race and was probably the best in the world apart from him. This is a guy who had moved up to the 5000m at 30 and well past his best.

As for the 1:42/12:55 = 3:24 you're an intrinsic tool in the manner of Ventolin. Between 87 and 89 Aouita ran a 1:43 800m a 7:29 3000m and a 12:58 5000m and his best 1500 was a 3:30 (1 second slower than his WR from 85).

Coevett wrote:

Nix wrote:

Is this a joke?!

Ovett a great runner but underachieved in his career.

After after 1981, his career essentially went downhill with one or two highlights e.g the WR and 1986 CG gold.

Aouita destroyed Ovett in the 1987 WC.

Ovett was clearly suffering from the heat again in the 87 WC. He beat just about everybody over 5000m that season except Aouita. He was indeed a spent force after 87. In his Commonwealth Games 86 form he would have given Aouita a good race and was probably the best in the world apart from him. This is a guy who had moved up to the 5000m at 30 and well past his best.

As for the 1:42/12:55 = 3:24 you're an intrinsic tool in the manner of Ventolin. Between 87 and 89 Aouita ran a 1:43 800m a 7:29 3000m and a 12:58 5000m and his best 1500 was a 3:30 (1 second slower than his WR from 85).

Ovett ran 13:25 in 1977 at Gateshead losing to future Olympic champion Miruts Yifter.

WR at the time was 13:12.

His PB in the end was 13:20 in 1986 when he was easily past his best form.

Ovett had potential to be a world beater in the 5000m if he cared.

GoldenMiles wrote:

Nix wrote:

Is this a joke?!

Ovett a great runner but underachieved in his career.

After after 1981, his career essentially went downhill with one or two highlights e.g the WR and 1986 CG gold.

Aouita destroyed Ovett in the 1987 WC.

In addition to “intrinsic” (and “wabbit”...and “Peking”), Ventolin also used to often say, “Is this a joke?” Please tell me you’re still with us, Ventolin!

Hmmm ?

Coevett wrote:

David Coleman's commentry with 2 laps to go : 'Just look at Ovett there. He had to slow down he was moving so easily'.

Ovett was probably in 1:42/3:28/12:55 shape in 78.

Live coverage as some sort of argument!

What a shame Ovett didn't know what kind of shape he was. He easily would have won the quadruple in Prag: 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m. Even a 45.73 in the 400m easily was in his grasp. But he didn't know.

Cramovett wrote:

Ovett had potential to be a world beater in the 5000m if he cared.

Are we giving Ovett one of these hypothetical 3000 gold medals based on the fact that he was an underachiever that didn't care?

I watched a race on YouTube a few weeks ago, Ovett vs Coe, late 80s when they were both well past their prime. Coe smoked him and Ovett cried like Nancy Kerrigan.

no one has told him wrote:

Coevett wrote:

David Coleman's commentry with 2 laps to go : 'Just look at Ovett there. He had to slow down he was moving so easily'.

Ovett was probably in 1:42/3:28/12:55 shape in 78.

Live coverage as some sort of argument!

What a shame Ovett didn't know what kind of shape he was. He easily would have won the quadruple in Prag: 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m. Even a 45.73 in the 400m easily was in his grasp. But he didn't know.

Hmmm.. Aouita thought he could win every event from 800m to 10000m, but the only time he ever entered more than one event was in Seoul (800/1500) and didn't even make it to the 1500m heats.

If only I knew as much about track as you.

BTW, he probably could have won the 5000m in Prague. He surely would have been one of the medal favorites, before a couple of weeks later breaking the two mile world record in destroying Henry Rono, arguably the best distance runner in history at that point. How do you think Rono would have done if he had been eligible for the European Championship 5000m? The final was won in 13:28, so absolutely made for Ovett. I think Ovett's first ever 5000m on the track he ran 13:25 or something the same year or the year before.

BTW, Coleman was one of the greatest ever commentators, if not the greatest, and if you watch the video it's a highly accurate commentary. He certainly knew more about track than you, even if you did dope your way in to the heats of the 800m at the UK championships one year.

I underachieved as well wrote:

Cramovett wrote:

Ovett had potential to be a world beater in the 5000m if he cared.

Are we giving Ovett one of these hypothetical 3000 gold medals based on the fact that he was an underachiever that didn't care?

I watched a race on YouTube a few weeks ago, Ovett vs Coe, late 80s when they were both well past their prime. Coe smoked him and Ovett cried like Nancy Kerrigan.

You really are a nasty little smeeghead aren't you? Ovett was indeed way past his prime and was basically strongarmed into accepting that race and the inevitable humiliation.

Yes, and I think that was his first or second ever 5000m.

People also forget that even in 78, let alone 77, he was still improving every race having only moved up fully to the 1500m in 77 (the only 1500m races he ran in 1976 were the Olympic trials and the Olympic heats and semis. He ran more 400m races that year than 1500s and Miles).

Coevett wrote:

If only I knew as much about track as you.

You wouldn't write all your nonsense.

Coevett wrote:

having only moved up fully to the 1500m in 77

Coevett wrote:

the only 1500m races he ran in 1976 were the Olympic trials and the Olympic heats and semis.

If you’re an Olympian at some distance, you’ve definitely “moved up fully” to it.

And besides, an 800m runner isn’t exactly a far cry from a 1500m runner.

Coevett wrote:

He ran more 400m races that year than 1500s and Miles

He was a then-800 specialist who developed a famous kick. Are you surprised he had an under-distance leaning?

no one has told him his potential wrote:

Coevett wrote:

If only I knew as much about track as you.

You wouldn't write all your nonsense.

+1000

098786 wrote:

no one has told him his potential wrote:

You wouldn't write all your nonsense.

+1000

-1000

I might not agree with everything he writes on here, but all round a awesome poster. In my top three posters, which in no particular order are, m!ndweak, coevett and legit questions.

Slowvett wrote:

Coevett wrote:

having only moved up fully to the 1500m in 77

Coevett wrote:

the only 1500m races he ran in 1976 were the Olympic trials and the Olympic heats and semis.

If you’re an Olympian at some distance, you’ve definitely “moved up fully” to it.

And besides, an 800m runner isn’t exactly a far cry from a 1500m runner.

Coevett wrote:

He ran more 400m races that year than 1500s and Miles

He was a then-800 specialist who developed a famous kick. Are you surprised he had an under-distance leaning?

You're an utter moron. I don't claim to know much about track other than being a fan of its history, and hence I know a lot about particular individuals such as Ovett, but I can spot that you know even less.

None of your replies even make much sense, so I'm not going to bother.

And stop coming back and replying to your own posts under another anonymous handle. Psycho.