Best Male Marathon Runner of the 1980's?

Carlos Lopes WR and Olympic gold.

De Castella.

World champion, Commonwealth champion x 2 , Fukuoka winner, Rotterdam winner and Boston winner.

3 top 10's in the Olympic marathon (1980-1984-1988).

World record in 1981.

CC world champion 1984 and 1985.

DEEEEEEK

Black Caviar wrote:

DEEEEEEK

Deeks had the best marathon time for 3 separate years in the 1980's as well.

Jonesey for me. Running 2:07 off a 61 first half split says it all.

Stick him in a paced race in Berlin with Vaporflys and his talent would still be competitive today.

Tower Porklets wrote:

Jonesey for me. Running 2:07 off a 61 first half split says it all.

Stick him in a paced race in Berlin with Vaporflys and his talent would still be competitive today.

Jones was an animal.

He just didn't fear pain.

Lopes was a beast too. He said he could have ran 2 mins quicker in his WR at Rotterdam in 1985, if he had other runners to push him.

You could make an argument for Jones and Deek but Lopes showed he was better than both. Deek certainly started the decade with an edge but by the time the other two joined him they surpassed him.

Lopes

Jones

Deek

Lopes- WR, Olympic Champion.

But there were some great races in the 80's. 1983 Rotterdam! I still watch it sometimes.

That Epic NY race between Shahanga, Smith, Dixon!

Boston- Dual in the Sun!

I think it's a toss-up between Deek and Lopes, but Jones was my favorite of that period.

I agree, Jones was the most fun to watch, he had no fear at all. All three were special, really hard to say one was better than the other, Deek's big win at Boston, Lopes destroying a stellar filed in LA, Jones suicidal first half at Chicago.........all exciting races.

Lopes was certainly the best runner of the three, even if you want to dispute his Marathon superiority.

Loping Along wrote:

You could make an argument for Jones and Deek but Lopes showed he was better than both. Deek certainly started the decade with an edge but by the time the other two joined him they surpassed him.

Lopes

Jones

Deek

definitely any of these 3 but Lopes Olympic title puts him over the top -super impressive considering that he was the silver medalist in the 10000 m in Montreal...

any of them would have been competitive in today's marathons given technology, pacing etc...

Ustinov wrote:

Who was the best in the 1980's?

- Toshihiko Seko

Without question it was Seko. Decade long career of winning almost every marathon he entered into. Set world records in 25000m and 30000m. Set a national record in the 10000m, during his marathon career. Insane mental toughness, we should all aspire to be like.

DEEKA is coming to Boston this year!!! YAY!

Alberto Sauce wrote:

Elephant in the room wrote:

Someone obvious hasn't been mentioned even though his name regularly appears on this site/forum. Still a giant in the sport now.

Cough cough.

Salazar?

Won his debut broke a WR* and almost became the first man in tights to win the World XC!

Bombed in the US hosted Olympics though :-(

* a wee bit short

Elephant in the room wrote:

Alberto Sauce wrote:

Salazar?

Won his debut broke a WR* and almost became the first man in tights to win the World XC!

Bombed in the US hosted Olympics though :-(

* a wee bit short

1. Seko was capable of the WR during the early 80s, but preferred to sit-and-kick.

2. Salazar's performance in 1981 was superior to Deek's WR considering the hilliness of NY.

3. Salazar was the best 1980-1981, Deek 1982-1983, Lopes 1984-1989.

4. Jones was remarkable and would've run 2:05 in 1985 if he didn't go out in 1:01.

5. Lopes would've run 2:05 in 1985 with competition, and was the best of a great decade.

Before reading the list... Jonesy... quickly entered my mind.

Although never a medalist ('84 and '88 top-10 finishes) or WR holder Juma Ikangaa is worthy of an honorable mention. Won NYC in a CR, won Fukuoka, several runner-ups at Boston. He may belong ahead of Dinsamo who's best work was late in the decade and into the '90's

Jonesy and Deek bombed more than once. Lopes basically had an unblemished Marathon record once he got serious about it.