The Greatest Runners of All Time

The world of running has seen some of the most talented athletes of all time. From the classic long-distance runners to sprinters and those who dabble in both, these athletes have brought us distance records, world records, and inspiring moments that will live with us forever. Here is a look at some of the greatest runners of all time.

Paavo Nurmi – The Flying Finn

Paavo Nurmi was a Finnish long-distance runner who dominated not only the 1920s but also the 1924vOl Olympic Games where he won a total of 9 medals, 5 of which were gold. He set 22 official world records ranging from the 1500m to 20 000m and held the world record in the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m at the same time.

Kipchoge Keino – Pioneering Kenyan

Kipchoge Keino is credited as being the pioneer of marathon running from Kenya, a country that has since produced some of the world’s greatest distance runners. Keino held world records in the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m, won two gold medals and one silver in the 1968 Olympics and is the only person to have ever won the world 5000m and 10000m in the same season. He was also appointed to the International Olympic Committee in 1994.

Carl Lewis – American Sprint Legend

Carl Lewis is widely seen as one of the greatest athletes in history. He won an incredible 9 Olympic Gold medals in the 100m and 200m sprints and also the long jump and 4x100m relay. He set 3 World Records in the 100m, was won 10 World Championships and was the first athlete in history to win the same event at 4 consecutive Olympics.

Usain Bolt – The Fastest Man in the World

Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world and the most successful sprinter ever. He is the only person to have ever won three Olympic Gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay and holds both the world and Olympic records for the 100m and 200m. He also won 11 World Championship gold medals across the sprint and relay races.

Haile Gebrselassie – Ethiopian Legend

Haile Gebrselassie is one of the most decorated long-distance runners in history. He set multiple world records in distances ranging from 2000m to 10000m and won two Olympic gold medals. He also holds the record for longest streak as a world champion in the marathon, having won the World Marathon Majors three times in a row.

Top Runners In the Past 5 Years

The past five years have seen some remarkable athletes break records, redefine limits, and inspire others to reach their highest potential. Top runners have redefined the sport each and every year, proving what human endurance and strength can truly achieve. Here, we present some of the most influential and successful runners of the past five years.

Mo Farah

British runner Mo Farah is one of the most decorated athletes in the world. In the past five years, he has won multiple medals in multiple international events, including the World Championships and the Olympics. Most notably, he achieved the “double-double” by winning the 5,000m and 10,000m events at both the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Farah also holds multiple world records, including the 5,000m and 10,000m British records.

Eliud Kipchoge

Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge is another remarkable athlete from the past five years. He is the first athlete to break the two-hour marathon barrier, completing the distance of 26.2 miles in an astonishing time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds. Kipchoge is also the world record holder for the marathon, with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds, set in Berlin in 2018. He has consistently pushed the boundaries of the sport, inspiring people of all ages to reach for their goals.

Brigid Kosgei

Brigid Kosgei is a Kenyan long-distance runner who broke the women’s marathon world record in 2019 with a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 4 seconds at the Chicago Marathon. She has also won the London Marathon twice in 2018 and 2019, and the Chicago Marathon in 2018 and 2019. Kosgei is known for her exceptional endurance and has consistently shown that she is one of the top long-distance runners in the world.

Karsten Warholm

Norwegian hurdler Karsten Warholm has set the track alight in the past five years, breaking the world record in the men’s 400m hurdles twice in 2021 with a time of 46.70 seconds. Warholm also won the gold medal at the 2017 World Championships and the 2018 and 2019 European Championships in the 400m hurdles. He has become a dominant force in the sport and a true inspiration to many.

Sifan Hassan

Dutch long-distance runner Sifan Hassan has had an impressive past five years, breaking multiple records and winning several titles. In 2019, she won the 1,500m and 10,000m events at the World Championships, becoming the first person in history to win both events at the same championships. Hassan also holds the world record in the women’s 10,000m and the European record in the women’s 5,000m. She is known for her incredible speed and endurance and has shown that she is a true force to be reckoned with on the track.

The past five years have seen some remarkable runners redefine the limits of endurance and strength. Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge have inspired many people to take up running and strive to reach their highest potential. These athletes have truly set the standard for runners everywhere, proving that with hard work and determination, anything can be achieved.