Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

[CoachKoby]

This is a twist on that other thread of Greatest Athletes of the Century. But what are your thoughts on the track athletes (of any country) who have had the greatest impact on the sport of T & F. Not just the performances but all aspects of the sport.

[197hjsteve]

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

Jesse Owens, Charlie Paddock, for starters

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

Three words:

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

AS unpopular as he is with some people, Carl Lewis was a tremendous force in the professionalization of the sport. His nemesis, Ben Johnson, had more effect on track in the last 15 years than anyone.

[197hjsteve]

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

for revolutionary changes to their respectivre events:

Parry O'Brien
Dick Fosbury

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

how bout Seb Coe?

[swamprunner]

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

Zatopek, Ryun, Rono, to name a few. These guys truly took the standards of their day to new levels.

Rono's performances in 1978 have to stand out as one of the most incredible displays of running prowess ever. Too bad he could never make more of his talent.

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

For sheer galactic impact:

Paddock
Owens
Bannister
Brumel
Hayes
Matson
Ryun
Lewis
Bubka
Radcliffe

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

. . . and MJ

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

don't forget Zatopek, Nurmi, Oerter & JJK

[Per Andersen]

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

> For revolutionary changes to their respective events.
George Horine. Without him no Western Roll. Without Western Roll no Straddle.

[racewalker]

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

Daniel Bautista in the walks, esp. the 1976 Oly 20k.

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

>>AS unpopular as he is with some people,
>Carl
>Lewis was a tremendous force in
>the
>professionalization of the sport.

I may
>be in a minority -- which surprises me -- in
>feeling this way, but I always felt that far from
>being obnoxious and arrogant, Carl was almost
>always gracious and generous.

I always liked him. He was in the last half of his sprinting career when I first got involved in track, so he was a natural "hero". He often said things that rubbed people the wrong way, but those people needed it anyway. Most of the time, he turned out to be right. Like criticizing the sport's management in the USA -- boy, he was right on! And when he turned down the IAAF's invitation for the Athlete of the Century award to make a stand on drugs, most people didn't understand that he gave up some pats on the back in order to try to influence the new heads of the IAAF and IOC. Could you have imagined Cassell ever doing that?

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

>Daniel Bautista in the walks, esp. the 1976 Oly
>20k.>>

What did he do, invent a new way to cheat?

Re: Greatest Track Athletes of Any Century

Lasse Viren was unbeatable at 5k and 10k at two different Olympics. Thats about as good as anyone has ever done or could hope for.

There simply was no way to beat the guy at the OGs in those events. You couldn't set fast enough a pace to break him and couldn't out sprint him.

Although it would have been great seeing Pre try and break him in 1976.

Say what you want about possible blood doping but Lasse brought peaking to an absolute art form.