is Paula the GOAT

[mump boy]

in UK there seems to be the assumption that paula is the greatest Marathon runner ever. i still go with Greta, untill Paula wins in Beijing

what do you all think ??

[Stu]

I think a medal of any colour in Beijing would be enough for her to be considered the greatest. She has the WR(and a phenomenal world record at that), World title, Major wins, I don't think she needs gold to be the GOAT.

[mump boy]

I think a medal of any colour in Beijing would be enough for her to be considered the greatest. She has the WR(and a phenomenal world record at that), World title, Major wins, I don't think she needs gold to be the GOAT.

i think you're right

[26mi235]

She does not yet have the 'honors won' thing, although her level of competition is higher. Greta is a little hard to assess, as she also never won a Champs medal, although for her it was just starting. Joannie still has a bit of a claim as she won in LA in a very respectable time and then took down Ingrid K just after in the #2 time. She stopped there, however. Just saying it is hard to determine a GOAT here.

[observer2]

come on..goat is a stupid animal. GOAT is just for message boards and is just a stupid label.

[jla]

Greta is a little hard to assess, as she also never won a Champs medal, although for her it was just starting.

Grete Waitz was the inaugural (1983) World Champion and got the Olympic silver in 1984.

[Daisy]

Joannie still has a bit of a claim as she won in LA in a very respectable time and then took down Ingrid K just after in the #2 time.

I think this is just US euphoria at her 1984 triumph but i don't see it getting her close to the GOAT status.

For longevity in the event Rosa Mota is impressive she had quality wins in almost every year from 1982-1991.

[mump boy]

Joannie still has a bit of a claim as she won in LA in a very respectable time and then took down Ingrid K just after in the #2 time.

I think this is just US euphoria at her 1984 triumph but i don't see it getting her close to the GOAT status.

For longevity in the event Rosa Mota is impressive she had quality wins in almost every year from 1982-1991.

i agree regarding Joan you could just a well say Takahashi is GOAT !!

for me it's

Greta
Paula
Ingrid/Rosa (Champs against/big city times)
Catherine

after that it gets complicated

Joan
Takahashi
Tecla
Manuela
Lydia

maybe

[LopenUupunut]

Mizuki Noguchi has to be somewhere up there, too. Olympic gold, WC silver, some other nice wins and a 2:19.12 clocking looks pretty good to me.

[nevetsllim]

Takahashi is one of the most under-rated athletes in any discipline in recent years, IMO.

Her 2:21:47 at the 1998 Asian Games was run in oppressive conditions, and her 2:23 at the 2000 Olympic Games was run on a hot day and on a very difficult course. She's also won Nagoya twice in 2:25 and 2:22 and Berlin in 2:19 and 2:21 and Tokyo in 2:24.

I think my top four would be 1. Paula 2. Grete 3. Catherine 4. Mota

I would certainly place Simon a couple of places ahead of Machado (only a 2:25 PB, no Olympic medals).

[Conor Dary]

Joannie still has a bit of a claim as she won in LA in a very respectable time and then took down Ingrid K just after in the #2 time.

I think this is just US euphoria at her 1984 triumph but i don't see it getting her close to the GOAT status.

For longevity in the event Rosa Mota is impressive she had quality wins in almost every year from 1982-1991.

Frankly, I think Benoit's best race was Chicago '85 when she went 2:21:21 head to head against Christiansen on a flat course. Joanie looked pretty incredible that day. First half 1:08+

As for Grete Waitz, she was superb in the late 70's but her main claim to fame is winning the NYC marathon nine times and the 1983 WC marathon. The latter had a rather weak field, and as for the former Lebow went out of his way to make sure the women's field was weak. For instance when I was in Boulder back in the 80's I know Rosa Mota wanted to run but Lebow would just ignore her.

[misterp]

After today, is there any doubt that Paula is the greatest of all time? Put another way - if a male runner competing today had the world record by more than two minutes, had three fastest times in history, and was seven for seven in major marathons (admittedly, with one DNF), wouldn't we agree that he was the greatest?

[mump boy]

After today, is there any doubt that Paula is the greatest of all time? Put another way - if a male runner competing today had the world record by more than two minutes, had three fastest times in history, and was seven for seven in major marathons (admittedly, with one DNF), wouldn't we agree that he was the greatest?

but greta had all of those things in the early 80's plus champs medals. paula needs an olympic medal

[observer2]

Grete not Greta... (Grete Waitz)

Greta is more Swedish (Greta Garbo)

Both is short for Margrete, Margareta.

[AS]

This thread continues a worrying trend I have commented upon before here. Why do we feel we can refer to all female athletes by the first name, yet most male athletes get the surname treatment? Is this some condescending male thing?