The GREATEST Track Race of ALL TIME!! 

The Athlete Special can’t believe you’re retiring 😳😩

Heyyyyyyyy

@@henrylister5530 It's understandable now that he has a kid

Mr. Ku yes you have to respect the decision 😩😵

From the looks of it and the history I really suspect lagat let him win at the line.

Yep, the 2012 Olympic 800 meter final is my choice as well.

@Dimitris Tsekouras congrats that's a good time. Are you a sophomore or a junior?

good choice. I think either that one or the 2016 Olympic 400m race would have been my pick for the best race of all if winning time was the only factor.

This is definitely one of the top 5.

Yes 1:43.77 for last place and 1:42.95 for 5th . Greatest race top to bottom.

My fav, so good

Congratulations 🍾. Your countryman came through under the most trying of circumstances!

Im glad you didnt

I am from Libya and my whole family felt the same

As a North Carolinian, I thought it was a pretty good race.

The man is a machine... pretty sure in his mile world record he ran 16 consecutive 13.8 second 100 meters.

His second last 100 m was in 11.5 seconds 😧🙌👍

@@collyernicholasjohn Damn... that's even more insane.

@@collyernicholasjohn You timed it?

@@Paul-ek5lu Crazy, I know: it’s math.

the jaramogi I still say it looks like lagat let up and let hicham win. Knowing it was hichams last olympics. When lagat still had more chances to Keep dominating. He let him win out of respect. Who wants to be the guy who sits and kicks to edge out a legend. As prefontaine would say: “that’s chicken shit”

إستيقظ للواقع هل هناك عداء يتخلى على افضل إنجاز في ألعاب القوى نحن لا ننكر قوة برنارد لاغات و أخلاقه الرائعة ، لاكنه لأكتر من 8 سنوات هو خلف هشام وما هو قولك عندما كان برنارد لاغات في سباق 5000M و فعل نفس الشيئ مع كينينيسة بيكيلي حاول تجاوزه في الامتار الاخيرة لاكنه فشل هناك ايضا بسبب السرعة النهاية هن نقول انه سمح له بالفوز هناك أيضا 🙏🙏🙏🙏

Hey , it's the same I keep watching it from a time to time , you won't believe the joy we had that day, and after 16 years it is still worth to see it. The guy is a living legend

Zatopek was a hero and guide to many long distance runners during the 60's (and beyond) I idolized him while training for marathons. Met him at the 1950 Olympics in Rome, and got his autograph. Stick figure of him running and his wife chasing him with a javelon richard Clapp

Zatopeks tree gold medals in 1952 Olympics were truly unbelievable. Not nice running style but great will and effort. Movie about him goes to cinemas in late august 2021 - looking forward to it.

Amazing story :)

I agree....HOW do you top that.

@Richard Milliken Can you let WADA know, you clearly know something they don't.

@Richard Milliken I don't think the tests for Kenyan athletes are done in Kenya when they are taking part in international tournaments.

@Richard Milliken well,you are suggesting that all the Kenyans set their records when there were no tests for EPO which is wrong. Most of the current records held by Kenyans were set after the year 2000 so it doesn't matter whether EPO is easier to get than a six-pack of beer as you think because EPO has been detectable since 2000. You also don't have to have EPO present in your system to get caught, if have to have a higher than normal red blood cell count you can be stopped from competing unless you can prove that your body is always like that. You sound like someone who thinks that anyone who's better than him or his favourite athlete has to be cheating.

@Richard Milliken Kipchoge isn't the only Kenyan who holds a distance world record. The half marathon,10km, 25km, 30km and 50km records are held by Kenyans according to the world athletics website. The women's 20km and Marathon records are also held by Kenyans. These records were broken after 2004. Microdosing is a problem but you and I have no way of knowing If these records were EPO aided or not because they didn't fail the drug tests and all the athletes could be Microdosing. A better Microdosing test was supposed to be introduced this year,so let's wait and see how that affects the sport. I don't know why you think that I was suggesting that you think that only Africans dope, most Africa countries are not even that good at distance running. The only reason I was defending Kenyans was because you singled them out when we know which countries are really at the cutting edge of new and undetectable PED development,and I don't think that's the Kenyans. Don't turn this into something it's not to make me look bad.

@Richard Milliken it's not really about Kenya for me, it could have been any country and I would have the same problem I have with your statement. the problem is you are presenting your options as facts. Everybody knows doping is a big problem in athletics. It's true that many Kenyan athletes have failed tests but this isn't about those athletes. The athletes in this video didn't fail any tests that I know of. Kenya was investigated in 2016 and there was no evidence of an institutionalised system according to WADA. Their athletes have also been under more scrutiny since that investigation but they still have fewer positives than most of the big athletics nation's. Actually, they are not even one of the top 10 countries with the most doping cases both by number of cases and percentage of tests. The list is dominated by the USA, European countries and China. These places have the most resources, pharmaceutical companies and a bigger incentive to setup an institutionalized doping system.Do you really think that armstrong would have been able to setup the system he needed to pull off what he did if he was Kenyan? I doubt that he would have been as successful as he was or for as long as he was. There is no doubt that some Kenyan athletes are doping but there is no evidence that it's more widespread there.

Radisha did not have any competition at all. He was going easy and just pure domination, El G did that all his life but this Olympics was a doubt that he may not after all these years of domination. El G was towards the end and Radisha was in his top.

800 is my fav distance, technically a sprint race, only 2 laps, there is no sitting back and waiting. you have to go almost full out like a jet, and hope your afterburners get you through the 2nd lap...

I ran 800 Meter in College. NCAA All American. But when someone runs a 1:40 800M its VERY suspicious. Yes, their all doing it.

@ Oh please!

@@Worldpeaceforeverremains That's not true at all - in the London Olympics the top 3 in the final all broke the Olympic record! It's just that Rudisha was even better

I agree on most of the topics. But I did run 3000m steeple ... I think that there is no race more difficult than this. You just get into the right runnin rythm, and then you have to jump, and start all over again. Very tricky. Don't you think?

El Gurrouj, by far the best

I disagree, the 400m is the most difficult. Ranted long distance races are difficult as well. Actually, you could add 400m hurdles on top of that.

@Richard Milliken no it isn't!! If you go "all out" in 400 you'd be dead before you hit 200. You don't even go all out in 200. Only in 100 do you go all out. 400 requires very difficult balancing. If you go out too fast you burn out. Not faster enough then you're too far behind at end.

@Richard Milliken woof!!

Agree. If I need motivation. I watch that race. I remember as a young kid seeing the guy with the hat coming from last place to win

Ratmaster4000 nahh

@@dirodabraat8290 I have followed his career since the 90s, you have your opinion but Hicham El Guerrouj was a beast in his prime... Every runner wanted to beat him or be him. That is Greatness right there

@@dirodabraat8290 naah? wtf..ur a fool. He's not one of. He's THE Greatest of all time. Olympic champion in 2 distances, world champion countless times. His mile and 1500 records are still holding 22 years later and nobody even close.

Ali cry stupid

@@dirodabraat8290 no reason for me to cry. Just wanted to shut u up. Looks like it worked since u hv nothing to say.

I agree. Dave Wottle had tendinitis in his knee and was unable to train for weeks prior to the Games. In an interview years later, he said he was unable to keep up with the pack the first lap because he was so undertrained but managed to make up the distance with a tremendous finish...the most exciting finish in Olympic history.

Massive, massive track impact in the United States. This race, will great on a competitive field level and personal level, really didn't have a great impact for a country or even that distance. It's not like he's Naftali Temu at the 1968 Mexico City Olympis. The first Kenyan to win a gold medal and literally start that country on fire for running.

Gives me goosebumps. I can also watch Billy Mills 10k on repeat. "Look at Mills, look at Mills!"

It was a great race, but not epic imho. The only impressive things about the race (aside from olympic final of course hehe) are the even splits, the comeback and the injury factor.

No doubt about it, an amazing performance. Cool customer Dave Wottle.

Christian Howe Daniel Komen maintained sub four minute pace for four times 800 m during his 2 Mile Record, that's right back to back sub four minute miles, which he did twice, and no one has ever done it once. He was on track a third time during his world record 3000 metre race - see my comment about - I believe that was the greatest track record of all time. Check it out here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c6gLVIAXWQo.html

Are you sure you got the times right? At least ten men have run sub-3:32 in the 1500m. He has the mile (1609 meters) record at 3:43. What I find insane about that, is the difference between the two WR's would indicate a final 109 meters in under 13 seconds. Two different races, but it'd be 3:11 mile pace!

@@pozzythump868 what?

As you should be!

Definitely. One of the greatest, if not the greatest.

@@marknorris1381 3 min 26 :00 Corre 🙂

@@mohamedimbratoor6993 I was cheering for him in the 1500 and the 5000, hoping he would win both races. He deserved to. Such an amazing competitor.

Eliud Kipchoge beat both Bekele and El G at 5,000m the year before at the world championships

@football 206 I'm not questioning that Bekele is the best ever at 5,000 m, but the FACT is that he lost in 2003 to Kipchoge AND El G in 2003 so he was not unbeaten in 4 years. Also, can you really say he had a bad race in 2003 when he ran a 12:53, which would be good enough to win every other world chamionship at 5,000m.

@Richard Milliken in 2003 he had not yet run 12:37 and races in World championships are almost never run at anywhere near WR pace. Being ONLY 14 seconds off the world record at the time (Geb's 12:39) is pretty incredible race for a championship race. You don't know what you're talking about. (You also can't do math as 12:53 is 16 seconds slower than 12:37, but that's a different issue).

@Richard Milliken Bekele ran the 12:37 WR in 2004 (not 1984!) and won the 10,000 m World Championship in a championship record at the same championships a week earlier. He wasn't sick he just got beat. 12:53 in a championship 5000m isn't a bad performance it's a great peformance, it just happen to not be quite as great as Kipchoge and El G on that day.

He had been undefeated in the 10K though, I think.

Lehumo Manaka Although I am onsessed with Middle Distance, I have to say, this is one of the most amazing once in a life-time races we had the privilege of witnessing. Thank you. See my comment on Daniel Komen 3000 metre record, or watch the race: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c6gLVIAXWQo.html

Yes, it’s Wayne van Niekerk for me, too. The race that was shown was brilliant too.

The Whole country held its breath at that moment. Our hearts ♥ almost stopped. I was 12 yo. When elguerouj passed the line, it's like we won World Cup🏆. Unforgettable race. And surely the greatest race Ever.

Yes, extremely underrated race.

That was a great race!

Too many doubts.

Get out of here with the blood doper, his medals are totally tainted

The competitors who lost him, and some delusional (american) journalists have made those allegations, but nobody has proved nothing. So get out of here with your false arguments.

Fabulous race but lots of doubts

Classicaly the kenyan would have won. But nobody knows how and where did El Guerrouj get that strength to overrun him.

would love to see him try just an 800

But they ran slower at the beginning finishing several seconds off of WR or OR pace. 1:46 is USA's boys high school record at that distance. Donavan Brazier set the American Record in 2019 at 1:42.34. An American in fourth place at that race was just two seconds behind.

@@joelwillems4081 What I'm trying to say is that it's impressive.

Yes, but 1:47 for the first 700 would hardly count as racing for these guys - more like a quick warm up, then they get a running start. Still pretty impressive.

@@kirkdillabaugh1627 they did the last 800 in 1:46 not the first 700. I could do a 1:46 700.

@Richard Milliken, I agree on “range”, but “guts”? Don’t confound running with individualistic ambition of intra-personal competitiveness. And it’s Saïd, not said.

You failed to mention that your nephew is a quadriplegic.

Well done

Very good. You get a participarion medal. Stop making it about you.

We need videotape and proof that you weren't doping :)

Handicapped by 40kg fat ego! WTF??? Who the hell is interested in what you do?

Yes, an epic (2009 I think). Tadese was a machine that night, but Bekele at that time was unbeatable.

the last 800 m of that race is nothing short of incredible

Along with Billy Mills at Tokyo Olympics . . .

When he said at the beginning "the race with the greatest impact on running" I repeated "Roger Bannister" 3 times. The 2004 1500m was an incredible race. But impact? Roger Bannister.

I'm with you - though I might be a little partisan - not only being an American, but from South Dakota as well - the home of Billy Mills.

Only if you're American - of course it is :)

And Bolt gave them a lesson!!!

A 100 meters can never be the greatest race because there’s no strategy involved and it’s over in a flash.

Vladimir Sobur Bekele seems like he was playing with tadese. But hey. I’m bekele’s prime. He could play around at the olympics. Like his usain bolt move after winning the 10k by a mile with easy.

Yeah that was a good one.

Thanks!

Agree!

It's too bad that some of the very greats like Zatopek, or Nuurmi are from the dark days; of grainy b&w footage. So their stories don't receive the emotional coverage that modern day runners get.

@Richard Milliken You are so right! I watch today's races, and I invariably wonder, why they even bother including the Euro contingent.

and the last 300 metters was in proximitly 39 seconds

Food, Health & Success Totally agree, when Olympic middle distance races often go slow and tactical, and El Guerrouj had a kick that could finish such a race, but he chose to really put it to the field, without pacemakers to lead

Yeah 800m in 1.46 seconds seems impossible even for sound itself. It's a miracle he ran faster than that.

“1.46 seconds” 💀

Cam Sakuma The 2003 5K, 2004 1500m & 5K have to be the best stretch of races ever, and that 5K field, with the Greatest 1500m/Miler, Greatest 5K/10K (and xc), and the Greatest Marathoner all in the same race

Geruge? Are you serious? Come on.

@@luquas94 Guerrouj, his surname is hard to spell

@@BuggatiWeryon And why are you telling me this?

@@luquas94 cuz you replied with are you serious??? dont start a grammar offense

The 2012 100m field was amazing with Richard Thompson, Powell, Gay, Gatlin, Blake and you know who. 7 of the 8 people ran sub 10 times.

@@Bart_Allen_YT well yeah but you see sub 10 all the time. You never see what happen then. 1:45 just won the Olympic gold that’s sad 💀

@@God-cm5xs do you ever see each of the finishers produce such times...I think not

@@Bart_Allen_YT I’m not saying that 100 line up wasn’t super great. I’m just saying the 2012 Olympic final was insane. The last place finisher could of won multiple different Olympics with that time. Could the last place finisher in that open 1 win at a different Olympics? Not even close.

@@God-cm5xs I see and take your point. The 7th place finish guy, Richard Thompson of T&T, got 9.98 or something close. Fun fact: Before 1968, no one had ever run a sub 10s time.

name wise and shocking factor this race was great. Honestly i would not pick it as the GOAT of races because I think the race was more of a building factor to 3 great careers outside of Hicham of course.

"Look at Mills". Look at Mills". Billy, a Marine Officer and only American to win this race.

@@sitarnut I agree with this. Billy Mills was an unknown, but reached his peak at the olympics. I still rerun the last lap in my mind.. Met Billy Mills at the Eiteljorg musium in Indianapolis about 4 years ago. Presently outstanding aid to young native americans,, Wrote a book called the lakoda way. Great supporter of the Crazy Horse monument in South Dakota Richard Clapp

roids

Ben --- Hard to choose between Dave Wottle & Billy Mills!

@@jllpmusicman my 2 favorites, as well. but i was more impressionable when i saw mills

Billy Mills....greatest surprise ever. My pick for number one accomplishment.

I would have to agree. Billy mills would be my number one. Many have said it was the greatest upset in Olympic history, matter of fact the USA Olympic committee did not consider him a potential winner, so they did not provide him any shoes to run in. He had to borrow shoes to run in the Olympics 10,000 m. He was such an unknown that Olympic officials had to ask who are you after the race was over.

Eric Petersen agree with you. Has to be the largest PR in an Olympic track race ever?

Ummmm!!!

@@fastinradfordable Beat his previous PR by 45 seconds!

Or Lasse Viren 1972 Olympics 10000 meters

@@jacklee9044 The guy falls down and WINS! Then goes out and repeats in the 5k just days later.

Hicham el Geurrouj. The goat..a.k.a the king of the mile. The best miler/1500 m who never gave up. Despite all the setbacks/falling. Talent was not enough for Hicham. He created his own solid character, in order to be world record holder and to win double gold in 1500m and 5000m in 2004 Athens. That event was a bomshell in the history of Atletics.