Statistics showing that Kirani James is a legend...

[OneWay]

WvN's time at the top was far too short to deserve legend status (caveat: If he still holds the WR a decade from now, that's a different case

Brevity at the top does work against him but it is hard to discount the trifecta and WR

[ATK]

Brevity at the top does work against him but it is hard to discount the trifecta and WR

Merritt's consistency over a decade and also winning Olympic and 2x World Gold (plus 4 other medals) is more impressive to me than WVN's career.

IMO, WVN cant stand up to Wariner or Merritt and is debatable against McKinley and now K James.

[gh]

With 8 World Rankings in 9 years,, including 4 No. 1s, despite his lack of a WR Juantorena beats WvM on my list. (although it easy to overrate him if you conflate his 800 exploits as part of his 400 legend)

[Mr Lover Lover]

My top 10 needs some amendments. Kirani is probably in the latter half of the list.

[bobguild76]

With 8 World Rankings in 9 years,, including 4 No. 1s, despite his lack of a WR Juantorena beats WvM on my list. (although it easy to overrate him if you conflate his 800 exploits as part of his 400 legend)

Although, IIRC, his 44.26 in '76 was a low-altitude all time best.

[Tuariki]

I agree with Weights & Shoes in that MJ is the only 400m legend.

[berkeley]

I keep clinging to the fanciful notion that WvN is not done and he'll return to WR-threatening form. I know it's a pipe dream. Such a shame the dumb way his career was cut short.

If there's an award for most effort expended in a race, WvN must be a candidate. After Beijing 2015 he had to be taken to the hospital. I was close to where he was standing after another race which he won in a mere 44.6, and was being interviewed afterward. It must have been at least 10-15 minutes after the finish, but he was still leaning heavily on the fence, and then had to sit on the ground, cutting short the interview. He really leaves it all out there.

[Trickstat]

Although, IIRC, his 44.26 in '76 was a low-altitude all time best.

Yes, and I think it wasn't bettered until 1987 by Butch Reynolds.

[gh]

Arguably, Wayne Collett's 44.1h to win the '72 OT was superior to Juanto

[Trickstat]

Arguably, Wayne Collett's 44.1h to win the '72 OT was superior to Juanto

My knowledge of the accuracy of US hand-timing 49 years ago is not that great but I suspect there is not much in it. Worth bearing in mind that back then times were rounded to the nearest tenth rather than up to the next one.

[gh]

..... Worth bearing in mind that back then times were rounded to the nearest tenth rather than up to the next one.

no they weren't

[KDFINE]

Arguably, Wayne Collett's 44.1h to win the '72 OT was superior to Juanto

Tight turns too.

[Trickstat]

no they weren't

Before 1979, a hand time of 44.14 would have been recorded as 44.1.

[gh]

Before 1979, a hand time of 44.14 would have been recorded as 44.1.

we're talking about two different things: you're referencing how IAAF suggested converting auto w100ths times to 10ths; since Collett was a hand time I was referencing the rules on how one would treat a watch with the hand between 44.11 and 44.19, where all would be rounded up 44.2.

assuming the timers followed the rules, Collett's time on hand watches was somewhere between 44.0 and 44.1.

[cigar95]

Garry what's your sense of the quality of the Eugene hand timers in '72? We know the Brits, for example, were always pretty good - none of that "0.24/0.14" stuff.