We mentioned this on the podcast and post-race recap but did Faith Kipyegon just cap the greatest track season ever by a female distance runner? Undefeated and world record in the 1500, mile and 5000 and being the first woman to pull off the 1500/5000 double at Worlds.
If this wasn't the best season who had a better one?
Easy answer is yes. Harder question is to say best of all female athletes in total. I think would have to be someone that doubled. The few that jump to mind are when Marion jones was unstoppable. Masterkova when she won 8 and 15 but she was nowhere near records. Or hate to say it but flo jo in 88.
How soon we forget. In 2021 Sifan Hassan won Olympic Gold in the 5 and 10, and Bronze in the 15. Sifan became the only athlete to ever medal in the 15, 5 and 10 in the same Olympics. Sifan ran 29:06 to set the world record at 10000m. Sifan’s season was just as good in my opinion.
Greatest season by a distance runner ever, male or female.
My old friend Paavo Nurmi just gave me a call and begged me to mention his 1924 Olympics where he claimed he won 5 Gold medals, the 15, 5 and 3000m team event plus 2 cross country events. Paavo also mentioned that he broke 4 world records that year.
Not sure whose season was better, but I believe Tirunesh Dibaba’s 2008 season is at least on par. Undefeated, world record in the 5,000 without the aid of pacing lights, Olympic record in the 10,000 and first woman other than admitted doper Wang Junxia to run under 30 minutes, first woman to ever win the Olympic 5,000-10,000 double, and she won the world cross country championship.
How soon we forget. In 2021 Sifan Hassan won Olympic Gold in the 5 and 10, and Bronze in the 15. Sifan became the only athlete to ever medal in the 15, 5 and 10 in the same Olympics. Sifan ran 29:06 to set the world record at 10000m. Sifan’s season was just as good in my opinion.
Except she lost to Kipyegon 3 of the 4 times they raced that year. If you want to use Hassan I think her 2019 season was better.
In 2005 Dibaba was a double world XC champ (long and short course) and double gold (5/10K) on the track. In 2008 she won the double again at the Olympics, world XC champ and set the 5000 WR.
But I think Kipyegon's season was better than any of those because of the 3 WRs. She will likely get the rosd mile WR as well. I think her 1500 and mile records could last many years.
How soon we forget. In 2021 Sifan Hassan won Olympic Gold in the 5 and 10, and Bronze in the 15. Sifan became the only athlete to ever medal in the 15, 5 and 10 in the same Olympics. Sifan ran 29:06 to set the world record at 10000m. Sifan’s season was just as good in my opinion.
Except she lost to Kipyegon 3 of the 4 times they raced that year. If you want to use Hassan I think her 2019 season was better.
In 2005 Dibaba was a double world XC champ (long and short course) and double gold (5/10K) on the track. In 2008 she won the double again at the Olympics, world XC champ and set the 5000 WR.
But I think Kipyegon's season was better than any of those because of the 3 WRs. She will likely get the rosd mile WR as well. I think her 1500 and mile records could last many years.
So I think you may have missed that Sifan win 3 Olympic medals, 2 Gold and a Bronze. Get back to me when Kipyegon manages that.
Where she has the advantage over Dibaba 2008 is the competition Faith saw off. She set the 5000m world record beating the prior WR holder. She had to beat Sifan Hassan, another of the GOAT competitors, *twice* to secure her double gold.
It's similar to considering early Federer racking up wins vs lesser athletes compared to when the Big 3 had to beat each other to get a title. The depth in the 1500 and 5000 is crazy right now. That Faith did the double and went undefeated while always racing top quality opposition is a key aspect of this year.
We mentioned this on the podcast and post-race recap but did Faith Kipyegon just cap the greatest track season ever by a female distance runner? Undefeated and world record in the 1500, mile and 5000 and being the first woman to pull off the 1500/5000 double at Worlds.
If this wasn't the best season who had a better one?
In 1988 FloJo won 3 Olympic Golds and set WRs in 100 and 200 that still stand, 35 years later.
We mentioned this on the podcast and post-race recap but did Faith Kipyegon just cap the greatest track season ever by a female distance runner? Undefeated and world record in the 1500, mile and 5000 and being the first woman to pull off the 1500/5000 double at Worlds.
If this wasn't the best season who had a better one?
In 1988 FloJo won 3 Olympic Golds and set WRs in 100 and 200 that still stand, 35 years later.
Yeah for sure but it would be a stretch to call her a female distance runner.
Where she has the advantage over Dibaba 2008 is the competition Faith saw off. She set the 5000m world record beating the prior WR holder. She had to beat Sifan Hassan, another of the GOAT competitors, *twice* to secure her double gold.
It's similar to considering early Federer racking up wins vs lesser athletes compared to when the Big 3 had to beat each other to get a title. The depth in the 1500 and 5000 is crazy right now. That Faith did the double and went undefeated while always racing top quality opposition is a key aspect of this year.
Dibaba had to beat Meseret Defar (the previous WR holder, and dual Olympic 5,000m champion) in that 2008 season too.
Where she has the advantage over Dibaba 2008 is the competition Faith saw off. She set the 5000m world record beating the prior WR holder. She had to beat Sifan Hassan, another of the GOAT competitors, *twice* to secure her double gold.
It's similar to considering early Federer racking up wins vs lesser athletes compared to when the Big 3 had to beat each other to get a title. The depth in the 1500 and 5000 is crazy right now. That Faith did the double and went undefeated while always racing top quality opposition is a key aspect of this year.
I think its a little disrespectful when you say Dibaba had lesser competition especially with your weak "Big 3" analogy.
Tiru at Beijing had previous 3 world record holders Abeylegesse (5k WR and Doper), Samitova (the Russian Steeplechase Olympics winner and WR breaker at the olympics), Meseret Defar ( 2 5K GOLDS Oly and WC/Indoor Legend/ WR holder in the 2 Mile and 5k) on her shoulder.
In addition to Sylvia Kibet (2 WC silvers beating defat, 2008 Bronze) and THE Vivian Cheruiyot (5time WC and 5k Olympic record holder and all around legend).
Recency bias might be a thing for you, but Tirunesh raced and beat all of the greatest runners of the 2000s to Mid 2010s (including her sister 2004 Oly behind a Chinese athlete and '05 10k silver) and made it look easy.
Her talent is such, that to date she is the last women's XC country winner from Ethiopia.
Kipyegon (while being the GOAT) realistically only has Hassan as competition and maybe, just maybe Beatrice Chebet and Welteji.
Granted Kipyegon is just so much better than everyone else that even those are not really competition.
at least Tirunesh lost sometimes to Defar, Cheruiyot and finally Ayana dazzit!
This post was edited 10 minutes after it was posted.
We mentioned this on the podcast and post-race recap but did Faith Kipyegon just cap the greatest track season ever by a female distance runner? Undefeated and world record in the 1500, mile and 5000 and being the first woman to pull off the 1500/5000 double at Worlds.
If this wasn't the best season who had a better one?