If there's anyone who could challenge Bekele as the GOAT, it's Kipchoge, but I'm gonna have to go with Bekele. That Cross Country streak has got to be the most insane feat I've ever heard of
@@random-zb7fp Lol, that's ridiculous. They're different seasons and the training for the 5k and 10k are essentially identical to cross country training. Also Bekele was a beast at the 3k but it was not his best event, and I doubt he could ever have taken down Komen's record.
It is such a specialized world today that it is hard to compare. Kipchoge has revolutionized the marathon but Bekele absolutely dominated cross country. It is almost like comparing apples to oranges. Both dominated at their preferred races.
Everyone knows Bekele is the best to ever run track and cross country and Everyone knows Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner . Whomever you choose as YOUR goat,you won't get any complaints from me. At this point,it basically comes down to preference. Shout out to both those greats
Bekele is the greatest at longer distance track events and cross country, kipchoge is the greatest at marathons, and also we can’t forget hicham el guerrouj who is easily the greatest at middle distance. its almost impossible to say who is the better runner because they’re all the best at their own specialized events
I cannot disagree with you at all, 100 Percent Correct. Adding more details on this specific comparison, I am going to add Haile to this list. I will start with Bekele. Bekele can run in all terrain and any weather. Weather can be Heat, Rain, Snow, Sleet, or Hail, Bekele will dominate that. Terrain can be concrete, mulch, mud, sand, gravel, turf, grass, ice, water, whatever and Bekele would dominate Haile and Kipchoge. Now let's get to Haile. Haile has has more ammo than anyone of all time. STILL TO THIS DAY. He is the Man of All Men for Marathoners. Still to this day, he has been a huge legend for a very long time. Haile would last longer in age, survival, and determination unlike Bekele and Kipchoge. Why? Think about it. If Kipchoge & Bekele would have been in Haile's generation they would not survive. The technology was much different with Haile unlike Bekele & Kipchoge. Haile would still have the record if technology was still the same. 20+ years later. No hard feelings for Bekele or Kipchoge at all. Now ending off with Kipchoge. He has dominated alot on distance running. More specific, the Marathon (26.2 Miles/42Km aka 42K). Even though he did have a time under 2 hours 2 years ago, it was not considered a world record because it was a planned experiment & NOT a race. Since he didn't do it in a actual race, his world record or should I say THE world record remains at 2:01 and several seconds, which is now a NEW World record since September 25th. In Conclusion: Kipchoge is the GOAT Marathoner (Marathon Event ONLY). Haile is the GOAT for Speed & Legendary Moments (All Races) Bekele is the GOAT for Wins, Success, & Awards (All Races).
@@trevorturner8037FINALLY. Somebody mentioned the World's Fastest Miler. Thank You. I was 11 years old when he did the unthinkable. Not just getting under 4 Minutes but getting under 3:45 as well. 3:43 to be more specific. STILL TO THIS DAY, In 1999 before new Millennium/Y2K started, Hichum still has that record. Nobody has even come close to him. Even Michael Johnson couldn't get that record and he still is my #1 athlete I have ever watched in my lifetime. Allyson Felix is my #2, but #1 for women.
Bekele wins at 10k and shorter, Kipchoge wins at the marathon, no one doubted that. The question is whose strengths outweighs the other. Bekele has more overall titles, taking into account track and XC, but it takes more fortitude and consistency to keep putting out truly world class marathon times without falter due to injury or burnout. It's a tough call, and that's why I can't make it definitively. Both men are extremely talented and gifted and have done wonders for influencing modern athletics.
Bekele wins because he dominates 2 fields. Track&Field and Cross-Country. Kipchoge only dominates in the Marathon. He doesn't take part in the half marathon because he wouldn't be as dominant as he is in the Marathon. His marathon time would also suffer if he competes in both.
@@harivarmen Yes, Bekele wins overall for sure. The only place he didn't dominate was the marathon, but still really good. my only exception is that CC isn't really considered that world class. Most elite athletes of their time would forgo that for full time track. That being said, dude did it all. All at a very elite level as well. I think Bekele never had eyes on being the best at any event, but the best at many. And he proved it. That is the GOAT.
kip will have same laurels and more after he destroys one n all at next olympics! in the mean time it looks next race or after that he will go for that under 2 hour record.
Bekele for 10km and below, Kichoge for anything else up to 42.195km. They are great at long distances, but their key strengths are rather segmented. There’s no need for a singles GOAT.
Being an avid Bekeli fan I must admit that I think Kipchoge is the actual Goat of distance running. He was brilliant on the track in his younger years, but it is his endurance, brilliance and longevity on the road that elevated him to greatness!!
Bekele made me believe that it's possible for myself to take over Goat status as well🙌 He was just held back by injuries, otherwise his stretch from 02 was gon carry on. It's one of those things, I've learnt a lot from him.
For me personally I would go Eluid, whilst the shorter distances are impressive, for me, carrying that speed into the longer distances is more impressive, and whilst the 1:59:40 isn't an official record, it does put Eliud 2 minutes clear of everyone else, a phenomenal margin
@@taktikstayla4024 agreed, but I was answering the original commenter who didn't list his marathon performance, and I used the same expression they used for Kipchogue's track performance. Don't take it too literally, relax.
Bekele the goat . A lot of ya'll that didn't watch track back the don't realize how dominant he was in his prime. And even after all his injuries he still came close to breaking kipchoges record.
Bekele was still beat every now and then on the track. Kipchoges marathon record is more dominant than Bekeles track record. The main difference is the level of superiority against their peers. Bekele was always almost beatable. No marathoner in the world believes they can beat Kipchoge.
@@mathieudube6907 I kind of agree with this. But if you look at who Bekele lost to on the track (in his prime), it was people like El Guerrouj & Kipchoge himself i.e. some of the greatest runners of all time. If you had a version of Bekele that didn't go through all of the injury troubles & you had some equivalent of El Guerrouj running against Kipchoge right now, then maybe he too would look beatable in the marathon.
@@mathieudube6907 well a lot of that also comes down to how often they race. As a marathoner Kipchoge races maybe 3 times a year tops, whereas a track athlete races many times each season
@@mathieudube6907 One has to take into account that Bekele seemed more beatable because he raced much more frequently and did the 5k/10k double. Bekele also faced a much deeper competition. El g, Lagat, Tadese and even Kipchoge himself v.s Adola, Kipsang. Even then I would argue, in his heyday, he's pretty much UNBEATABLE in the 10k, and damn near it in the 5k. Not to mention his absolute dominance in the cross-country. Top that with a 2:01 marathon PR. He's still the GOAT, albeit not as marketable.
I just love Kipchoge and Bekele and of course I don’t know either of them…both men are nothing less than amazing!…they got me running again after 10 years of thinking I was done because of these two bad knees… That not withstanding I am running again 3-4 times a week not as much as years past, about 100 miles a month! Before anybody comes for me, I am just an ordinary 57 year old woman with a full time job and two bad knees…and glad to be running again. They are so motivating and inspiring to me and many! Thanks y’all. And thank you for this channel.
We never saw the potential of Bekele in the 2000s. He could have broken every world record from 3000m to the Marathon and they would be still standing. I guess we will never know
*Marathon:* Kipchoge clear GOAT *XC:* Bekele clear GOAT *Track:* Bekele clear GOAT Whenever they went head to head on the track, Bekele crushed Kipchoge, just look at the 2008 Beijing 5000m. He led *every step* of the last mile, then dropped a 53 second last lap and beat Kipchoge by 5 seconds. While you could make the argument that the marathon is more important than cross country, it still has to be Bekele in my view.
For me personally, Bekele's stranglehold over both cross country distances and both the 5000m and 10000m distances on the track gives him the edge over Kipchoge dominating a single event. You could argue about Kipchoge being very close to Bekele in all the events he dominated but Bekele also has run just 2 seconds outside Kipchoge's previous WR in the marathon. Kipchoge is pushing his case harder and harder with every race he runs, but Bekele's decade of dominance over multiple events on different surfaces takes it for me.
For me /us in Kenya, we always respect our Ethiopian brothers, Keni Bekele is one of the greatest long-distance athletes in the world. There was a time when every long-distance runner in Kenya trained to compete Bekele. However kipchoge has motivated us more, he is our hero. He runs, mentors, and reminds us that we can truly do much better in life.
The power of believing far surpasses training and hard-work. I believe Bekele could swim on land for the Marathon and still be faster than half the population of earth if he wanted to.
While I am a total absolute fan of kipchoge , I worship him, but if I was to choose between the 2 for the greatest distance runner of all time it would be bekele, purely because of the varied distances and surfaces he has dominated in and for the number of years
I think if you define a "distance runner" as fundamentally just a marathon runner then there is no contest. However not sure that being dominant in a single event "counts" here whatever you do in it. Also, when I checked, Kipchoge last raced something other than a marathon in 2016 and back to 2014 for something as "short" as 10K. And you have to go back to 2008 to when he last won a global medal in something other than the marathon.
I’m gonna have to go with Kenenisa, mainly because of how close he comes to Eliud in the marathon especially when it’s not his best event and Kenenisa is good at track and xc not just one like Eliud’s career is pretty reliant on his marathon performances
In terms of athletics, I feel Bekele has demonstrated dominance over more distances and types of racing. In terms of the athlete, kipchoge is just so good for the sport
Bekele for me. I saw him in Dublin 2002 Cross Country when he was just 19 also! Crazy to think it was all this time ago! Congrats to Kipchoge too though of course!
With his pretty good track and field performances (few gold medals, several silver medals and bronze medals) during a very competitive era that lasted almost 10 years and his unmatched performances in the marathon distance since 2013, Kipchoge can be argued to be the overall greatest. Especially when you look at sustained excellence over a long period. However, when he runs under 2 hours in an official race (the first in history), wins the remaining two world marathon majors (again, the first in history), and wins his third Olympic gold medal in the same race (again, the first in history), there will be no doubt about who is the greatest. This will be considered the single greatest level of dominance and excellent performance in any sporting event in history! Mostly because running is easily accessible to everyone regardless of their economic, educational or ethnic backgrounds or even age group. The great Haile Gebrselassie severally said, "The marathon is the king of all distances." My views might be subjective but that's what I think.
The ultimate long distance discipline is a Marathon, Kipchoge wasn't also bad with the short distances. Kipchoge is the only true Long distance GOAT. Long distance is now more in the limelight thanks to Kipchoge
If Kipchoge had done most his accolades 10 years ago and instead we watched Bekele dominant cross country the way he did 2003-09 in 2013 to 2019 and then also run 2:01 at age 37 no one would even consider Kipchoge for GOAT. Bekele has more global gold medals even if you do count World major marathon win a global gold. Bekele has more World Cross Country Championships than Kichoge has World major marathon wins. He stopped in his last Cross World Championshipbecause he almost lost his shoe. He puts it back and proceeds to run the pass almost the entire field, catch the leaders and then punish them the last loop to win by 3 seconds. That's what the GOAT looks like.
IMO it's now pretty firmly 1. Bekele 2. Kipchoge 3. Gebrselassie Bekele is the best ever on the track and cross country and #2 in the marathon. While Kipchoge is #1 in the marathon and maybe top 10 on the track and cross country. Honestly not really sure where to place him for those. That gives Bekele 2 areas of dominance vs 1. But what really puts Bekele on top is that he became the undisputed GOAT so early in his career that I think he lost a little bit of that fire to keep pushing further. He accomplished so much in his career and I really don't think we even saw his full potential. This becomes more apparent when he transitioned to the marathon. I think he felt that he had already accomplished enough to cement his GOAT status and his marathon career took a back seat to running his businesses and other things in life. He put on some bulk which lead to his struggles with injuries and many DNF races. He then re-dedicated himself, slimmed down and just missed breaking the WR even after falling well off the pace in that race. On the flip side we've seen 10 years of dedication and very few injuries from Kipchoge which resulted in his incredible marathon career. Bekele basically matched Kipchoges 10 years of progress after less than 1 year of dedicated training. Which IMO clearly shows he has the higher peak of the 2, although we'll probably never get to see just how fast he could have gone at this point.
I’m a Kipchoge guy. But as simple as I can say it, if Bekele hadn’t run that amazing Berlin where he was 2seconds off the WR I’d say it’s Kipchoge … but that one race looms large in my psyche, and for me it’s the tiebreaker in Bekele favor But if kipper goes on to win Boston & New York … or really anything else at this point … it’s his again. His new world record this year gave me pause for thought … and I’m not sure that he hasn’t taken back #1 yet. But in order to take #1 it’s gotta be conclusive. And that 2:01:41 makes it inconclusive
@@chicnoir29 No one remembers the 2nd Fastest runner ever. Only the 1st. Kipchoge is more Marketable than Bekele because of his strong mind and inspiration. Plus cmon a Kenyan Athlete is more Marketable than an Ethiopian Athlete. Haile Gebrsellasie and Bekele were Beasts though!
I think Kipchoge is the greatest ever. Bekele's track career is at least comparable to Gebrselassie, whereas for Kipchoge there is 0 comparison. Also, Kipchoge's track career outshines Bekele's marathon career in my opinion.
Bekele dominated Cross-Country and Track&Field. Kipchoge wasn't successful in both. He only dominates in the Marathon and doesn't compete in the half marathon. It's because he wouldn't dominate since he'll have to run both long distances.
Still probably has to be Bekele. 3 Olympic golds, 5 World Championship golds and world records in the 5k and 10k, plus the second fastest marathon of all-time. Also easily the greatest cross country runner of all-time with 11 world titles. The cross country titles often get overlooked but are maybe his greatest feat. The only thing Kipchoge was better at is the marathon. Now his marathon accomplishments are jaw dropping, but I don't think it outweighs everything else, especially since Bekele has the #2 time behind him.
Small correction* Bekele has the 3rd fastest marathon time now since Kipchoge recently has the fastest and 2nd fastest marathon time. Bekele is still the 2nd fastest marathoner ever though.
I love this channel! The amount of research and passion in it is great- especially as it’s not a country dominated channel (e.g just focusing on US athletes)!
I look at both athletes with total awe as to what they have achieved. GOAT status could go either way, although I'd personally lean towards Kipchoge. Does ultra marathon's count towards your question on 'distance running'...? If so, Sorokin's achievements could come into play there as well - that man is insane!!!
Honestly, it's possible Kipchoge hasn't even peaked yet. 19 years deep and he's still breaking his own world records is nutty. There's winning, then there's setting accomplishments that people didn't even believe possible for decades to come. So that's the real question, since Kipchoge is both still active AND still improving, what does he still have to do to end the debate? He will be the GOAT, but when?
I think for me Bekele is still the greatest because he dominated more of a variety of racing distances in both the track and cross country for so many years and he also nearly broke Kipchoge's world record in the marathon which is Kipchoge's turf. Kipchoge never really challenged Bekele's world records on the track and although he beat both Bekele and El G in the world championships in 2003, that was before Bekele really began to totally dominate on the track. He also couldn't really come close to Bekele in cross country either and it was not even close at all. Back then, no one would have made the claim that Kipchoge was even in the same conversation with Bekele on pure running dominance on both the track and cross country with both wins and times. But now there could be an argument that in the right race maybe Bekele could take down Kipchoge in the marathon as his best time was just a few seconds off of Kipchoge prior to his current world record. People actually have the debate about a head to head match up in the marathon because it isn't crazy to think maybe Bekele could win. Back in the 2000s, no one was challenging Bekele on the track and the idea of Kipchoge challenging Bekele at his best back then was never even discussed.
Bekele is without doubt the greatest distance runner....Kipchoge dominance over the marathon is simply brilliant and being selective in how he competes has helped keep him dominant in this event a long time...Bekele on the other hand dominated at most distances and on all surfaces..his weakness was he likely competed too much which lead to some fragility fater a long period of time and still he is the second fastest man in history over the marathon..like most things there will be a subjective view on this...but if you purely look at records overall in distance running Bekele and Haile are ahead and that takes nothing away from Kipchoge whose dominance in the marathon is astonishing.
Kipchoge basically just better at marathon by a slight amount. Bekele has been better at everything else. Also have to wonder if Bekele had these new spring plated shoes when he was younger what he could have run in the marathon, the small gap in the marathon would be even closer.
Respectfully, it's not much of a debate and it doesnt matter how much Kipchoge accomplishes on the road. Bekele's exploits on the other 2 surfaces easily trump Kipchoge's marathon greatness. The only knock on Bekele's legacy is his lack of consistency on the roads, yet his peak on the roads nearly rivals Kipchoge's and both his peaks and consistency on the track and cross country are unrivaled.
I would say that the two are VERY equally matched, and you shouldnt have to pick between the two of them. For myself though, i do favor Eliud. This is not because Bekele is inferior, i favor Kipchoge for different reasons. I watched breaking 2 in an area of my life where i really just wanted to stop everything. Eliud taught me that humans are capable of things nobody expected to be possible. Even though i did end up finding out that at that time, cross country really wasnt working for me, i did go on to be a swimmer. Kipchoge still holds a place in my heart, telling me that no matter what i do, to just keep calm, believe in myself, and hold on to the endurance i have gained while running the marathon called life. Eliud taught me more than i could ever give back to him.
Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner but Bekele is definitely the greatest distance runner. At age 37 he was the 5000m world record holder, the 10000m record holder and was 2 seconds away from being the Marathon world record holder concurrently. And that’s not including his XC accomplishments
Even if I‘d go for Kipchoge, I think our image of the two athletes is very much influenced by Kipchoge being on top RIGHT NOW and Bekele more or less struggling RIGHT NOW, the same being true of track&field vs. the marathon having a greater appeal and higher status in the eyes of many observers. I wonder if we really have to lump them together into this one category „distance runner“, considering that a 5/10K race and a marathon a rather different cups of tea, as is 5K vs 800m. So it can be debated whether we can actually have more than just one goat here.
Agreed, Kipchoge is the GOAT of Marathons. Bekele GOAT of XC and track. These 2 guys are 1 in a 100years superstars. If any other long distance runner in our life achieves something close i would be amazed.
It's hard to choose who's the best. Two great athletes. But, for sure, I enjoy something unique about these two great athletes. Kenenisa: the way he shifts gears in the final 400m of a race (5000m or 10,000m) to run like a sprinter. Kipchoge: the way he runs at a very fast pace for a long time, like a train, yet it appears effortless. I find Haile, Bekele, and Kipchoge to have this distinct aura of heroism. Athletes who come along only once in a lifetime Each has inspired me on a different level. I have been inspired by Kipchoge by his tendency to test human limits in an event, especially in the marathon where he competes. This has resulted in him having a significant influence in the human family as far as inspiration is concerned. For example, in an attempt to test himself over the marathon distance in the 2018 Berlin marathon, he ended up breaking the world record by 1 min 18 secs, which was considered the single biggest world record improvement since 1967. If he had only focused on breaking the world record at the time, which stood at 2 hours and 57 minutes, he would have only improved it by a few seconds, which was a common phenomenon in the last 5 decades; breaking the world record by a small margin would not have inspired athletes and people outside sports that much. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, he also won by a margin of 70 seconds, the largest winning margin in Olympic marathon since 1972. In fact, in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021 due to COVID-19), he increased the winning margin to 80 seconds. He then returned to Berlin this year to take down his 2018 world record, which he smashed by 30 seconds. And then in 2015, in the Berlin marathon, when he had a problem with shoes (the insoles slipped out right at around 1 km, though people noticed half way through the marathon), he continued instead of stopping to fix them or even stop completely. He finished first with bloodied feet as the insoles flapped around his ankles the entire distance. The first time I saw Kipchoge's strong mental fortitude; that he couldn't allow external obstacles to stop him. The 2017 Monza and 2019 Viena experiments were also inspiring, especially when demanded to maintain the world's fastest pace over the distance. So, it is not about him winning that is so inspiring, but how he wins. But the same is witnessed with Haile and Kenenisa. For example, when Hail entered the 2000 Olympics and won the 10,000m, despite being expected to only watch the games because of his health condition at the time. He participated to give others morale and to see the Ethiopian flag raised at the Olympics in Australia. Or when Kenenisa lost his shoe at the World Cross Country Championships in 2008 and had to stop to put it back. He comfortably got past them all to win the competition. All are fascinating athletes, including Mo Farah of the UK, who won 4 Olympic gold medals and 6 Championship gold medals in 5,000m and 10,000m; Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, the greatest 1,500m runner; Komen, the only man in history to run back-to-back sub-four-minute miles; and David Rudisha, the most dominant 800m runner. N/B, I know Hicham, Komen, and Rudisha were mostly middle-distance runners, but they are still among the greatest runners.
@@chicnoir29 I love Paul Tergat. He was not only competitive, but he also respected fellow competitors athletes and congratulated winners. Anyone can like his personality. In 10,000m, most of the time, he would finish 2nd behind Haile. In many interviews, Haile says that his main rival was Paul Tergat. But his consistency in cross-country (long races)-by winning a gold medal each year between 1995 and 1999-makes him one of the best distance runners in the world. Daniel Komen is just a myth. He only ran for a short time but had a significant impact on athleticism. After breaking Kenenisa's 10,000m and 5,000m world records (which stood for more than a decade), Joshua Cheptagei of Uganda said he was ready to take down the two-decade old Komen's world record of 3,000m. However, he failed miserably after running 7:33, 13 seconds short of the world record. Kenenisa even respected that world record, saying it's only possible on a special day. That day, Komen ran each lap under 60 seconds. Komen's pace was just insane. Even commentators couldn't believe it. Haile has a high level of endurance because he would sprint in the last lap after running at a fast pace for a long time. But one day, I saw Komen and Haile run 5,000m together, and Komen would set some crazy pace that Haile gave up in the final lap. I am not sure if Komen's running was a result of talent or a tough situation that pushed him to do inhuman things in the field. He never lasted long like Haile, Kipchoge, Kenenisa, and Paul Tergat. But he did wonders. Where do you rank Daniel Komen and Paul Tergat? I think Kipchoge and Kenenisa are in a different class. They've got complete dominance. This is something that other athletes lack. It's almost possible to set a record or win in a specific event (Olympic, championship, etc.). But to sustain excellence (continued winning) over a long period in your sport is not easy. What Kenenisa did in cross country (both short and long races) will never be repeated again (in my view). And what Kipchoge has done in the marathon will never be repeated again (in my view). Being dominant for a long time leads to many people knowing you and even makes you more marketable. And to spice things up, there is Kenenisa's greatest finishing kick-in the last 400m on very very few occasions was Kenenisa defeated, and Kipchoge's effortless running-Kipchoge's running form in the marathon is like that of a 1,500 or 3000m runner, and he appears not to use his mouth to gasp for air even at a crazy pace (I guess everybody wants to see this).
@@solomonnjenga2024 - That’s an excellent breakdown of Daniel and Paul. Personally I rank Paul right bellow Halle and Kenenisa because at one point, Paul had the marathon WR. I think the last 400 of the 2000 10K Olympic final is perhaps one of the epic last laps in T&F. Daniel Komen was motivated my money more than honor. He didn’t care to run for championship metals although decades later, I wonder if he regrets that. Also Daniel floored his body for a couple of short years, he experienced major burnout.
@@chicnoir29 Yeah, I agree with you. Tergat unexpectedly made a move in the last 200m, and Haile had to respond in time to finish ahead; it was a truly epic battle. And yes, Daniel Komen's running without taking reasonable breaks and still setting insurmountable world records might have been motivated by money. Perhaps after making enough money, he saw no need to continue or even train, hence slowing down dramatically.
Thanks for another great production. Bekele greatest on track and cross country. Kipchoge greatest marathon runner. I don’t know how you can compare the two and come out with a winner ?
Isn't Joshua cheptegai in the top 5 yet? He already has the records. I believe he's the one runner who will enter the goat debate at the end of his carrer
I can't comprehend how a human being can run that fast for 26.2 miles. Totally boggles my mind. I run a lot but can't run a single mile at his marathon pace.
This video actually changed my view on the discussion. I think that there is no way to truly compare the two. Sure, they have both competed in the same races, even at the same times, but they are just two completely different athletes. Kipchoge takes the marathon, Bekele takes XC. Track is a harder discussion, and there are some up and coming athletes, but as of right now, in my opinion, Bekele takes it.
There's nothing more frightening for competitors than to watch Bekele kick for for home on the track and cross country. On the other hand, Breaking 2 and Ineos 1:59 took Kipchoge's name outside of just running to the mainstream for superhuman feats.
So many variables here, but if you look at versatility within the 3 areas, Cross Country, Track and Marathon, Bekele has more wins and is probably the better overall/terrain runner. No one can or has come close to Kipchoge for the Marathon, just no question there with so many wins from major marathons, and if he had spent more time on the track or grass as Bekele has, it would be easier to compare these two amazing runners. I tip Kipchoge for consistency for the long haul and market recognition and Bekele for overall talent.
I go with Haile Gebrselassie. Why? Because in his heyday, his rapid fire setting world records at every event from 3k, through 2 miles, 5k, 10k, 15 k, 10m, 20k, hm, 25k, to marathon is unmatched. By far the most versatile runner, he basically could pick his event and set a world record. Longevity? 1991 to 2012.
It's gonna be ingeresting to see if Letesenbet Gidey and Joshua Cheptegei can achieve this kind of longevity. What Bekele and Kipchoge did is very impressive, but I think it's also good for the sport if there's some inconsistency amongst the top runners and you never know who's gonna be on top next season.
I think the best way to say it now would be both kipchoge and bekele share the #1 spot because it’s hard to try and tell the difference now between them.
Both are legends with an amazing streak. What Bekele did in the track and cross country is from another world, and yet, he won Berlin with a 2nd fastest time ever. Eliud has a marathon streak that will be really hard to find again. Plus, Eliud has the “power” of being the Nike Boy since the Breaking2, receiveing a crazy amount of media. Hard to compare, but i would pick Bekele as number 1 of all time!
I myself don't get why people think it's close, if person A dominated multiple events and has the 2nd fastest time in the event that person B dominated, person A is clearly the greater
Kipchoge might have to run a competitive in under 2 hours to become the undisputed GOAT. However, he could also achieve that status by dominating distances longer than the marathon.
He would need to dominate the half marathon as well to be of equal footing as Bekele. Kipchoge wasn't successful at Cross-Country or Track&Field. Bekele dominated 2 fields while Kipchoge only dominated the Marathon.
Bekele- veristiy, longevity. I mean kipchoge is the best marathoner for sure. But bekele has great marathon success, way more track success and cross country success. I love the marathon but distance running is more diverse than one event.
If sb who doesn't know kipchoge reads you comment he will think kipchoge only competed in marathon only. Even kenenisa himself knows kipchoge did not race only in one event. He was not the best in 5k and 10k in his days in track but he used to medal behind Bekele often. I don't think there is great success in kenenisa marathon career. But I agree with you considering all distances Bekele is above kipchonge.
Bekele's XC results do it for me. The depth in the world XC championships is greater than any other distance running event in the world every year. All it would take is for someone to have their greatest day ever and they would win it and there are more top athletes fresh that day in top form than any other single running event, with no heats. No one ever has done better, in fact only John Ngugi with 4 wins has come closest. Bekele dominated on the track as well and his marathon performace is still among the all time greats (not in Kipchoge's realm) but overall Bekele dominates in 2/3 of the distance running arenas and is not embarrassed in the other. Kipchoge wins the next Olympic marathon will convince me to put him ahead of Gebresalasie but still not Bekele.
Agreed. Bekele dominated in both fields the cross-country and track&field. Kipchoge only dominates the Marathon and doesn't compete in the half marathon for a reason. He wouldn't dominate. Kipchoge was 'mediocre' in every other distances.
@@harivarmen kipchoge was not a mediocre in 5k and 10k a you say. Mediocre cannot medal. And he did win even against Bekele. Use another word to down play him.
@@harivarmen bro am not getting what you are saying. My point was kipchoge was a good 5k and 10k runner. He was second to Bekele several times because Bekele was the best in 5k and 10k... And loosing to the best doesn't make one mediocre. Is like saying the best marathoners we have currently are average just coz they can't beat kipchoge. Some are good only that they are racing in this kipchoge times. Am talking about people like legese, lemma, Amos Kipruto, Guye adola etc can't call them mediocre.
It’s was Bekele vs Haile, then Bekele vs Mo Farah, then Bekele vs Kipchoge, and now Bekele vs Joshua. This just shows that Bekele is THE standard against to whom any greatness measurement.
I do applaud your effort to truly try to make a solid detailed effort when it comes to this question of the GOAT. I don’t think I can ever answer this because as far as I’m concerned, the answer is ends up being too subjective. I would usually say Haile though because he really transcended the limits and upper echelon when it came to overall dominance as well as world records. All 27 of them. Even then though I still find myself skeptical given the nature of how undetectable EPO was during the late 90s and given that the late 90s was when there was this explosion of world records, I do find myself in need of having to pause. Not accuse. But pause. I find myself waiting to wait to answer this GOAT question for me once this new generation mid/long distance studs make their way to the marathon. Joshua Cheptegai, Jakob (if he ever does go to the longer stuff), and so forth. There’s a generation of talent right now where I really do want to wait and see. I understand the case to be made for Bekele as the GOAT but he just didn’t take the sport raise the standards to the level Haile did. He simply improved on his marks just a little more than Haile and they were about the same in terms of their sprinting prowess and Kenenisa was a better XC runner. The sport is definitely has been changing rapidly in the last couple years alone since around the time Cheptegai went on his WR rampage back in 2020 and now everybody is out there trying to win and win fast and it’s been truly exciting along with the evolution of technology. I think it’ll be exciting to see what is possible on not just the men’s side but the women as I think the women definitely deserve the conversation of who will be the first to break 2:10. With that said, may you all be well and run fast 🙏🏼
Haile and Bekele is very similar in track dominance. Bekele dominates Cross-country too so he's better than Haile since it's 2 fields he dominates. For women's marathon record, it would easily be Letesenbet Gidey if she decides to run a marathon. Smashing the half marathon world record by a full minute as a debut is unheard of.
Picking between these two is like picking between your 2 children. You just cannot pick one. Absolute legends 🔥
Everyone has a favorite child lol
My favorite child happens to be kipchoge
Absolutely 👌🏻
@@InTrancedState Yeah this. I mean you can't say it out loud, but it shows and we can tell.
My brother was always my dad's 3rd favourite child of 3.
@@barath4545 my parents love everybody the same
If there's anyone who could challenge Bekele as the GOAT, it's Kipchoge, but I'm gonna have to go with Bekele. That Cross Country streak has got to be the most insane feat I've ever heard of
If he hadn't focused so much in cross country then he would put the 3k, 5k and 10k records out of anyones reach forever
I agree! Bekele's cross country is the clincher!
@@random-zb7fp Lol, that's ridiculous. They're different seasons and the training for the 5k and 10k are essentially identical to cross country training. Also Bekele was a beast at the 3k but it was not his best event, and I doubt he could ever have taken down Komen's record.
I agree
Bekele = goat 🐐
It is such a specialized world today that it is hard to compare. Kipchoge has revolutionized the marathon but Bekele absolutely dominated cross country. It is almost like comparing apples to oranges. Both dominated at their preferred races.
Everyone knows Bekele is the best to ever run track and cross country and Everyone knows Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner . Whomever you choose as YOUR goat,you won't get any complaints from me. At this point,it basically comes down to preference. Shout out to both those greats
Bekele is the greatest at longer distance track events and cross country, kipchoge is the greatest at marathons, and also we can’t forget hicham el guerrouj who is easily the greatest at middle distance. its almost impossible to say who is the better runner because they’re all the best at their own specialized events
That is exactly why I do not like comparing
Fair enough 🤨
I cannot disagree with you at all, 100 Percent Correct. Adding more details on this specific comparison, I am going to add Haile to this list.
I will start with Bekele. Bekele can run in all terrain and any weather. Weather can be Heat, Rain, Snow, Sleet, or Hail, Bekele will dominate that. Terrain can be concrete, mulch, mud, sand, gravel, turf, grass, ice, water, whatever and Bekele would dominate Haile and Kipchoge.
Now let's get to Haile. Haile has has more ammo than anyone of all time. STILL TO THIS DAY. He is the Man of All Men for Marathoners. Still to this day, he has been a huge legend for a very long time. Haile would last longer in age, survival, and determination unlike Bekele and Kipchoge. Why? Think about it. If Kipchoge & Bekele would have been in Haile's generation they would not survive. The technology was much different with Haile unlike Bekele & Kipchoge. Haile would still have the record if technology was still the same. 20+ years later. No hard feelings for Bekele or Kipchoge at all.
Now ending off with Kipchoge. He has dominated alot on distance running. More specific, the Marathon (26.2 Miles/42Km aka 42K). Even though he did have a time under 2 hours 2 years ago, it was not considered a world record because it was a planned experiment & NOT a race. Since he didn't do it in a actual race, his world record or should I say THE world record remains at 2:01 and several seconds, which is now a NEW World record since September 25th.
In Conclusion:
Kipchoge is the GOAT Marathoner (Marathon Event ONLY).
Haile is the GOAT for Speed & Legendary Moments (All Races)
Bekele is the GOAT for Wins, Success, & Awards (All Races).
@@trevorturner8037FINALLY. Somebody mentioned the World's Fastest Miler. Thank You. I was 11 years old when he did the unthinkable. Not just getting under 4 Minutes but getting under 3:45 as well. 3:43 to be more specific. STILL TO THIS DAY, In 1999 before new Millennium/Y2K started, Hichum still has that record. Nobody has even come close to him.
Even Michael Johnson couldn't get that record and he still is my #1 athlete I have ever watched in my lifetime. Allyson Felix is my #2, but #1 for women.
Kipchoge's form is unfazed and solid at end of a marathon while still at fast, constant pace. Unbelievable beast in the long run.
Bekele wins at 10k and shorter, Kipchoge wins at the marathon, no one doubted that. The question is whose strengths outweighs the other. Bekele has more overall titles, taking into account track and XC, but it takes more fortitude and consistency to keep putting out truly world class marathon times without falter due to injury or burnout. It's a tough call, and that's why I can't make it definitively. Both men are extremely talented and gifted and have done wonders for influencing modern athletics.
Bekele wins because he dominates 2 fields. Track&Field and Cross-Country. Kipchoge only dominates in the Marathon. He doesn't take part in the half marathon because he wouldn't be as dominant as he is in the Marathon. His marathon time would also suffer if he competes in both.
@@harivarmen Yes, Bekele wins overall for sure. The only place he didn't dominate was the marathon, but still really good.
my only exception is that CC isn't really considered that world class. Most elite athletes of their time would forgo that for full time track. That being said, dude did it all. All at a very elite level as well. I think Bekele never had eyes on being the best at any event, but the best at many. And he proved it. That is the GOAT.
kip will have same laurels and more after he destroys one n all at next olympics! in the mean time it looks next race or after that he will go for that under 2 hour record.
I don’t think you can say who is better. They are both the best in their respective distances and situations.
Congratulations on 500k 🎉👍👏
I can’t wait to see how far this channel goes. This is def my fav running channel
Bekele for 10km and below, Kichoge for anything else up to 42.195km. They are great at long distances, but their key strengths are rather segmented. There’s no need for a singles GOAT.
Kipchoge is, by far, the greatest marathoner EVER. But Bekele's record on the track and XC give him an edge. But yeah, it's a tough call.
Bekele- His dominance in two aspects rather than one does it for me. And he arguably showed just as much resilience as Kipchoge with his 2019 comeback
Bekele is not resilient in the marathon. His marathon career has been a failure except for one excellent Berlin marathon.
Three aspects for Bekele….track, cross country and marathon.
@@tkk3852 - Berlin isn’t Bekele’s only marathon win.
@@chicnoir29 no doubt he was good but he wasnt dominating marathon for 5 years.
@@Queen-be6md Neither did Kipchoge dominate track&field or cross-country
Being an avid Bekeli fan I must admit that I think Kipchoge is the actual Goat of distance running. He was brilliant on the track in his younger years, but it is his endurance, brilliance and longevity on the road that elevated him to greatness!!
As An avid Kipchoge fan, I thank you. And I give it right back to Bekele :)
Bekele made me believe that it's possible for myself to take over Goat status as well🙌
He was just held back by injuries, otherwise his stretch from 02 was gon carry on. It's one of those things, I've learnt a lot from him.
When kipchoge is running it looks like he’s out there having a good time because he loves to run
For me personally I would go Eluid, whilst the shorter distances are impressive, for me, carrying that speed into the longer distances is more impressive, and whilst the 1:59:40 isn't an official record, it does put Eliud 2 minutes clear of everyone else, a phenomenal margin
EK- Absolute God in the marathon and pretty good on the track
HG- 27 world records
KB- Goat of XC and track legend
KB- Goat of XC and track legend and pretty good on the marathon
Pretty good? Hes got 2:01:41 thats not pretty good thats godly
@@taktikstayla4024 He's done kinda bad otherwise besides 2022 and 2013
@@taktikstayla4024 agreed, but I was answering the original commenter who didn't list his marathon performance, and I used the same expression they used for Kipchogue's track performance. Don't take it too literally, relax.
Bekele the goat . A lot of ya'll that didn't watch track back the don't realize how dominant he was in his prime. And even after all his injuries he still came close to breaking kipchoges record.
Bekele was still beat every now and then on the track. Kipchoges marathon record is more dominant than Bekeles track record. The main difference is the level of superiority against their peers. Bekele was always almost beatable. No marathoner in the world believes they can beat Kipchoge.
@@mathieudube6907 I kind of agree with this. But if you look at who Bekele lost to on the track (in his prime), it was people like El Guerrouj & Kipchoge himself i.e. some of the greatest runners of all time. If you had a version of Bekele that didn't go through all of the injury troubles & you had some equivalent of El Guerrouj running against Kipchoge right now, then maybe he too would look beatable in the marathon.
@@mathieudube6907 well a lot of that also comes down to how often they race. As a marathoner Kipchoge races maybe 3 times a year tops, whereas a track athlete races many times each season
@@mathieudube6907 One has to take into account that Bekele seemed more beatable because he raced much more frequently and did the 5k/10k double. Bekele also faced a much deeper competition. El g, Lagat, Tadese and even Kipchoge himself v.s Adola, Kipsang. Even then I would argue, in his heyday, he's pretty much UNBEATABLE in the 10k, and damn near it in the 5k. Not to mention his absolute dominance in the cross-country. Top that with a 2:01 marathon PR. He's still the GOAT, albeit not as marketable.
@@mathieudube6907 bekele has overall more wins in any races combined :)
You really can't go wrong with whoever you pick here, both are legends.
KIPCHOGE is the GOAT in my opinion. He keeps beating his own records year after year..Insane 😍😍😍🌟🌟🌟
I just love Kipchoge and Bekele and of course I don’t know either of them…both men are nothing less than amazing!…they got me running again after 10 years of thinking I was done because of these two bad knees… That not withstanding I am running again 3-4 times a week not as much as years past, about 100 miles a month! Before anybody comes for me, I am just an ordinary 57 year old woman with a full time job and two bad knees…and glad to be running again. They are so motivating and inspiring to me and many! Thanks y’all. And thank you for this channel.
Kipchoge is undoubtedly the GOAT of marathon...
Bekele is the GOAT of long distance track and X-country.
We never saw the potential of Bekele in the 2000s. He could have broken every world record from 3000m to the Marathon and they would be still standing. I guess we will never know
beklele is noob kipchoge is real mbappe
*Marathon:* Kipchoge clear GOAT
*XC:* Bekele clear GOAT
*Track:* Bekele clear GOAT
Whenever they went head to head on the track, Bekele crushed Kipchoge, just look at the 2008 Beijing 5000m. He led *every step* of the last mile, then dropped a 53 second last lap and beat Kipchoge by 5 seconds. While you could make the argument that the marathon is more important than cross country, it still has to be Bekele in my view.
For me personally, Bekele's stranglehold over both cross country distances and both the 5000m and 10000m distances on the track gives him the edge over Kipchoge dominating a single event. You could argue about Kipchoge being very close to Bekele in all the events he dominated but Bekele also has run just 2 seconds outside Kipchoge's previous WR in the marathon. Kipchoge is pushing his case harder and harder with every race he runs, but Bekele's decade of dominance over multiple events on different surfaces takes it for me.
Not 2 seconds but over 30 seconds
For me /us in Kenya, we always respect our Ethiopian brothers, Keni Bekele is one of the greatest long-distance athletes in the world. There was a time when every long-distance runner in Kenya trained to compete Bekele. However kipchoge has motivated us more, he is our hero. He runs, mentors, and reminds us that we can truly do much better in life.
Congrats on 500k, man. Every upload is consistent and entertaining. Been watching since 10k, keep it up!
My hero....I love my Kenyan bro's
Kingchoge the myth the legend 👌💯
Amazing, and 20 years into his career. So inspiring.
Kipchoge: training+training+training+concentration+concentration+concentration.
Bekele: "I believe in myself."
The power of believing far surpasses training and hard-work. I believe Bekele could swim on land for the Marathon and still be faster than half the population of earth if he wanted to.
500k subs!! very deserved, keep it up:)
While I am a total absolute fan of kipchoge , I worship him, but if I was to choose between the 2 for the greatest distance runner of all time it would be bekele, purely because of the varied distances and surfaces he has dominated in and for the number of years
I think if you define a "distance runner" as fundamentally just a marathon runner then there is no contest. However not sure that being dominant in a single event "counts" here whatever you do in it. Also, when I checked, Kipchoge last raced something other than a marathon in 2016 and back to 2014 for something as "short" as 10K. And you have to go back to 2008 to when he last won a global medal in something other than the marathon.
Mnyyaaa..
I’m gonna have to go with Kenenisa, mainly because of how close he comes to Eliud in the marathon especially when it’s not his best event and Kenenisa is good at track and xc not just one like Eliud’s career is pretty reliant on his marathon performances
He is not anywhere close to Eliud in the marathon. He got close to ONE of Kipchoge's records, for 1 single race.
In terms of athletics, I feel Bekele has demonstrated dominance over more distances and types of racing. In terms of the athlete, kipchoge is just so good for the sport
Bekele for me. I saw him in Dublin 2002 Cross Country when he was just 19 also! Crazy to think it was all this time ago! Congrats to Kipchoge too though of course!
Kipchoge is definitely the GOAT no one can compete with him. His marathon streak is to impressive, he is the one and only GOAT.
The best runner in history
Kipchoge is the goat with out question
With his pretty good track and field performances (few gold medals, several silver medals and bronze medals) during a very competitive era that lasted almost 10 years and his unmatched performances in the marathon distance since 2013, Kipchoge can be argued to be the overall greatest. Especially when you look at sustained excellence over a long period.
However, when he runs under 2 hours in an official race (the first in history), wins the remaining two world marathon majors (again, the first in history), and wins his third Olympic gold medal in the same race (again, the first in history), there will be no doubt about who is the greatest. This will be considered the single greatest level of dominance and excellent performance in any sporting event in history! Mostly because running is easily accessible to everyone regardless of their economic, educational or ethnic backgrounds or even age group.
The great Haile Gebrselassie severally said, "The marathon is the king of all distances."
My views might be subjective but that's what I think.
The ultimate long distance discipline is a Marathon, Kipchoge wasn't also bad with the short distances. Kipchoge is the only true Long distance GOAT. Long distance is now more in the limelight thanks to Kipchoge
If Kipchoge had done most his accolades 10 years ago and instead we watched Bekele dominant cross country the way he did 2003-09 in 2013 to 2019 and then also run 2:01 at age 37 no one would even consider Kipchoge for GOAT.
Bekele has more global gold medals even if you do count World major marathon win a global gold. Bekele has more World Cross Country Championships than Kichoge has World major marathon wins. He stopped in his last Cross World Championshipbecause he almost lost his shoe. He puts it back and proceeds to run the pass almost the entire field, catch the leaders and then punish them the last loop to win by 3 seconds. That's what the GOAT looks like.
The man cannot be denies. His consistency is incredible
Bekele - Track
Kipchoge - Marathons
Bekele - XC
Bekele is the greater distance runner.
IMO it's now pretty firmly 1. Bekele 2. Kipchoge 3. Gebrselassie
Bekele is the best ever on the track and cross country and #2 in the marathon. While Kipchoge is #1 in the marathon and maybe top 10 on the track and cross country. Honestly not really sure where to place him for those. That gives Bekele 2 areas of dominance vs 1.
But what really puts Bekele on top is that he became the undisputed GOAT so early in his career that I think he lost a little bit of that fire to keep pushing further. He accomplished so much in his career and I really don't think we even saw his full potential. This becomes more apparent when he transitioned to the marathon. I think he felt that he had already accomplished enough to cement his GOAT status and his marathon career took a back seat to running his businesses and other things in life. He put on some bulk which lead to his struggles with injuries and many DNF races. He then re-dedicated himself, slimmed down and just missed breaking the WR even after falling well off the pace in that race.
On the flip side we've seen 10 years of dedication and very few injuries from Kipchoge which resulted in his incredible marathon career. Bekele basically matched Kipchoges 10 years of progress after less than 1 year of dedicated training. Which IMO clearly shows he has the higher peak of the 2, although we'll probably never get to see just how fast he could have gone at this point.
I’m a Kipchoge guy. But as simple as I can say it, if Bekele hadn’t run that amazing Berlin where he was 2seconds off the WR I’d say it’s Kipchoge … but that one race looms large in my psyche, and for me it’s the tiebreaker in Bekele favor
But if kipper goes on to win Boston & New York … or really anything else at this point … it’s his again.
His new world record this year gave me pause for thought … and I’m not sure that he hasn’t taken back #1 yet.
But in order to take #1 it’s gotta be conclusive. And that 2:01:41 makes it inconclusive
As much as I love Bekele, the strength Kipchoge has in the Marathon scene is unbeatable
The strength Bekele has in both the Cross-country and Track&Field is also unbeatable.
@@harivarmen Right and he’s also the second fastest marathon runner ever.
@@chicnoir29 No one remembers the 2nd Fastest runner ever. Only the 1st. Kipchoge is more Marketable than Bekele because of his strong mind and inspiration. Plus cmon a Kenyan Athlete is more Marketable than an Ethiopian Athlete. Haile Gebrsellasie and Bekele were Beasts though!
@@Flightmann_2 - Not True. Everyone who’s a real Track Fan remembers Paul Tergat, Helen Obiri, and Vivian Cheryuiot.
@@chicnoir29 I agree
I think Kipchoge is the greatest ever. Bekele's track career is at least comparable to Gebrselassie, whereas for Kipchoge there is 0 comparison. Also, Kipchoge's track career outshines Bekele's marathon career in my opinion.
Bekele dominated Cross-Country and Track&Field. Kipchoge wasn't successful in both. He only dominates in the Marathon and doesn't compete in the half marathon. It's because he wouldn't dominate since he'll have to run both long distances.
@@harivarmen - Well said.
Still probably has to be Bekele. 3 Olympic golds, 5 World Championship golds and world records in the 5k and 10k, plus the second fastest marathon of all-time. Also easily the greatest cross country runner of all-time with 11 world titles. The cross country titles often get overlooked but are maybe his greatest feat.
The only thing Kipchoge was better at is the marathon. Now his marathon accomplishments are jaw dropping, but I don't think it outweighs everything else, especially since Bekele has the #2 time behind him.
Small correction* Bekele has the 3rd fastest marathon time now since Kipchoge recently has the fastest and 2nd fastest marathon time. Bekele is still the 2nd fastest marathoner ever though.
Every now and then a great appears, and then even more seldom the GOAT appears.
Kipchoge is the goat.
I love this channel! The amount of research and passion in it is great- especially as it’s not a country dominated channel (e.g just focusing on US athletes)!
I look at both athletes with total awe as to what they have achieved. GOAT status could go either way, although I'd personally lean towards Kipchoge. Does ultra marathon's count towards your question on 'distance running'...? If so, Sorokin's achievements could come into play there as well - that man is insane!!!
The Goat of all running channels 🙌🙌
Honestly, it's possible Kipchoge hasn't even peaked yet. 19 years deep and he's still breaking his own world records is nutty. There's winning, then there's setting accomplishments that people didn't even believe possible for decades to come.
So that's the real question, since Kipchoge is both still active AND still improving, what does he still have to do to end the debate? He will be the GOAT, but when?
Kipchoge is the GOAT at Marathon .
amazing video, and congrats on 500k
I think for me Bekele is still the greatest because he dominated more of a variety of racing distances in both the track and cross country for so many years and he also nearly broke Kipchoge's world record in the marathon which is Kipchoge's turf. Kipchoge never really challenged Bekele's world records on the track and although he beat both Bekele and El G in the world championships in 2003, that was before Bekele really began to totally dominate on the track. He also couldn't really come close to Bekele in cross country either and it was not even close at all. Back then, no one would have made the claim that Kipchoge was even in the same conversation with Bekele on pure running dominance on both the track and cross country with both wins and times. But now there could be an argument that in the right race maybe Bekele could take down Kipchoge in the marathon as his best time was just a few seconds off of Kipchoge prior to his current world record. People actually have the debate about a head to head match up in the marathon because it isn't crazy to think maybe Bekele could win. Back in the 2000s, no one was challenging Bekele on the track and the idea of Kipchoge challenging Bekele at his best back then was never even discussed.
Bekele is without doubt the greatest distance runner....Kipchoge dominance over the marathon is simply brilliant and being selective in how he competes has helped keep him dominant in this event a long time...Bekele on the other hand dominated at most distances and on all surfaces..his weakness was he likely competed too much which lead to some fragility fater a long period of time and still he is the second fastest man in history over the marathon..like most things there will be a subjective view on this...but if you purely look at records overall in distance running Bekele and Haile are ahead and that takes nothing away from Kipchoge whose dominance in the marathon is astonishing.
Kipchoge GOAT of marathon running.
If Kipchoge wins the Olympic marathon in Paris, you would have to give it to him...
Kipchoge basically just better at marathon by a slight amount. Bekele has been better at everything else. Also have to wonder if Bekele had these new spring plated shoes when he was younger what he could have run in the marathon, the small gap in the marathon would be even closer.
Respectfully, it's not much of a debate and it doesnt matter how much Kipchoge accomplishes on the road. Bekele's exploits on the other 2 surfaces easily trump Kipchoge's marathon greatness. The only knock on Bekele's legacy is his lack of consistency on the roads, yet his peak on the roads nearly rivals Kipchoge's and both his peaks and consistency on the track and cross country are unrivaled.
I would say that the two are VERY equally matched, and you shouldnt have to pick between the two of them. For myself though, i do favor Eliud. This is not because Bekele is inferior, i favor Kipchoge for different reasons. I watched breaking 2 in an area of my life where i really just wanted to stop everything. Eliud taught me that humans are capable of things nobody expected to be possible. Even though i did end up finding out that at that time, cross country really wasnt working for me, i did go on to be a swimmer. Kipchoge still holds a place in my heart, telling me that no matter what i do, to just keep calm, believe in myself, and hold on to the endurance i have gained while running the marathon called life. Eliud taught me more than i could ever give back to him.
Congrats on 500k subs✌️💯
I still can't conceive of how fast these people are. I can't even run one mile at the pace these guys run for 26 miles, it's spectacular to watch
More than likely, you can't even run a LAP. I can't either. That pace is insane.
Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner but Bekele is definitely the greatest distance runner. At age 37 he was the 5000m world record holder, the 10000m record holder and was 2 seconds away from being the Marathon world record holder concurrently. And that’s not including his XC accomplishments
Keninisa is just the goat he was the who got me into running and was a huge inspiration to me
Even if I‘d go for Kipchoge, I think our image of the two athletes is very much influenced by Kipchoge being on top RIGHT NOW and Bekele more or less struggling RIGHT NOW, the same being true of track&field vs. the marathon having a greater appeal and higher status in the eyes of many observers. I wonder if we really have to lump them together into this one category „distance runner“, considering that a 5/10K race and a marathon a rather different cups of tea, as is 5K vs 800m. So it can be debated whether we can actually have more than just one goat here.
Agreed, Kipchoge is the GOAT of Marathons. Bekele GOAT of XC and track. These 2 guys are 1 in a 100years superstars. If any other long distance runner in our life achieves something close i would be amazed.
He is the GOAT Kipchope
It's hard to choose who's the best. Two great athletes. But, for sure, I enjoy something unique about these two great athletes.
Kenenisa: the way he shifts gears in the final 400m of a race (5000m or 10,000m) to run like a sprinter.
Kipchoge: the way he runs at a very fast pace for a long time, like a train, yet it appears effortless.
I find Haile, Bekele, and Kipchoge to have this distinct aura of heroism. Athletes who come along only once in a lifetime Each has inspired me on a different level.
I have been inspired by Kipchoge by his tendency to test human limits in an event, especially in the marathon where he competes. This has resulted in him having a significant influence in the human family as far as inspiration is concerned. For example, in an attempt to test himself over the marathon distance in the 2018 Berlin marathon, he ended up breaking the world record by 1 min 18 secs, which was considered the single biggest world record improvement since 1967. If he had only focused on breaking the world record at the time, which stood at 2 hours and 57 minutes, he would have only improved it by a few seconds, which was a common phenomenon in the last 5 decades; breaking the world record by a small margin would not have inspired athletes and people outside sports that much. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, he also won by a margin of 70 seconds, the largest winning margin in Olympic marathon since 1972. In fact, in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021 due to COVID-19), he increased the winning margin to 80 seconds. He then returned to Berlin this year to take down his 2018 world record, which he smashed by 30 seconds. And then in 2015, in the Berlin marathon, when he had a problem with shoes (the insoles slipped out right at around 1 km, though people noticed half way through the marathon), he continued instead of stopping to fix them or even stop completely. He finished first with bloodied feet as the insoles flapped around his ankles the entire distance. The first time I saw Kipchoge's strong mental fortitude; that he couldn't allow external obstacles to stop him. The 2017 Monza and 2019 Viena experiments were also inspiring, especially when demanded to maintain the world's fastest pace over the distance. So, it is not about him winning that is so inspiring, but how he wins.
But the same is witnessed with Haile and Kenenisa. For example, when Hail entered the 2000 Olympics and won the 10,000m, despite being expected to only watch the games because of his health condition at the time. He participated to give others morale and to see the Ethiopian flag raised at the Olympics in Australia. Or when Kenenisa lost his shoe at the World Cross Country Championships in 2008 and had to stop to put it back. He comfortably got past them all to win the competition.
All are fascinating athletes, including Mo Farah of the UK, who won 4 Olympic gold medals and 6 Championship gold medals in 5,000m and 10,000m; Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, the greatest 1,500m runner; Komen, the only man in history to run back-to-back sub-four-minute miles; and David Rudisha, the most dominant 800m runner. N/B, I know Hicham, Komen, and Rudisha were mostly middle-distance runners, but they are still among the greatest runners.
What’s your opinion on Paul Tergat and Daniel Komen?
@@chicnoir29 I love Paul Tergat. He was not only competitive, but he also respected fellow competitors athletes and congratulated winners. Anyone can like his personality. In 10,000m, most of the time, he would finish 2nd behind Haile. In many interviews, Haile says that his main rival was Paul Tergat. But his consistency in cross-country (long races)-by winning a gold medal each year between 1995 and 1999-makes him one of the best distance runners in the world.
Daniel Komen is just a myth. He only ran for a short time but had a significant impact on athleticism. After breaking Kenenisa's 10,000m and 5,000m world records (which stood for more than a decade), Joshua Cheptagei of Uganda said he was ready to take down the two-decade old Komen's world record of 3,000m. However, he failed miserably after running 7:33, 13 seconds short of the world record. Kenenisa even respected that world record, saying it's only possible on a special day. That day, Komen ran each lap under 60 seconds. Komen's pace was just insane. Even commentators couldn't believe it. Haile has a high level of endurance because he would sprint in the last lap after running at a fast pace for a long time. But one day, I saw Komen and Haile run 5,000m together, and Komen would set some crazy pace that Haile gave up in the final lap. I am not sure if Komen's running was a result of talent or a tough situation that pushed him to do inhuman things in the field. He never lasted long like Haile, Kipchoge, Kenenisa, and Paul Tergat. But he did wonders.
Where do you rank Daniel Komen and Paul Tergat?
I think Kipchoge and Kenenisa are in a different class. They've got complete dominance. This is something that other athletes lack. It's almost possible to set a record or win in a specific event (Olympic, championship, etc.). But to sustain excellence (continued winning) over a long period in your sport is not easy. What Kenenisa did in cross country (both short and long races) will never be repeated again (in my view). And what Kipchoge has done in the marathon will never be repeated again (in my view). Being dominant for a long time leads to many people knowing you and even makes you more marketable. And to spice things up, there is Kenenisa's greatest finishing kick-in the last 400m on very very few occasions was Kenenisa defeated, and Kipchoge's effortless running-Kipchoge's running form in the marathon is like that of a 1,500 or 3000m runner, and he appears not to use his mouth to gasp for air even at a crazy pace (I guess everybody wants to see this).
@@solomonnjenga2024 - That’s an excellent breakdown of Daniel and Paul. Personally I rank Paul right bellow Halle and Kenenisa because at one point, Paul had the marathon WR. I think the last 400 of the 2000 10K Olympic final is perhaps one of the epic last laps in T&F.
Daniel Komen was motivated my money more than honor. He didn’t care to run for championship metals although decades later, I wonder if he regrets that. Also Daniel floored his body for a couple of short years, he experienced major burnout.
@@chicnoir29 Yeah, I agree with you. Tergat unexpectedly made a move in the last 200m, and Haile had to respond in time to finish ahead; it was a truly epic battle. And yes, Daniel Komen's running without taking reasonable breaks and still setting insurmountable world records might have been motivated by money. Perhaps after making enough money, he saw no need to continue or even train, hence slowing down dramatically.
@@chicnoir29 Who is your favourite runner in the world (present or former)? And what's your favourite distance?
For now, Bekele. But if Kipchoge wins a 3rd Olympic title at Paris 2024 then I'll give it to him.
“When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object”
Thanks for another great production.
Bekele greatest on track and cross country.
Kipchoge greatest marathon runner.
I don’t know how you can compare the two and come out with a winner ?
Isn't Joshua cheptegai in the top 5 yet? He already has the records.
I believe he's the one runner who will enter the goat debate at the end of his carrer
No
i am gonna say kipchoge just bc of how STRONG his marathon career has been
I can't comprehend how a human being can run that fast for 26.2 miles. Totally boggles my mind. I run a lot but can't run a single mile at his marathon pace.
This video actually changed my view on the discussion. I think that there is no way to truly compare the two. Sure, they have both competed in the same races, even at the same times, but they are just two completely different athletes. Kipchoge takes the marathon, Bekele takes XC. Track is a harder discussion, and there are some up and coming athletes, but as of right now, in my opinion, Bekele takes it.
There's nothing more frightening for competitors than to watch Bekele kick for for home on the track and cross country. On the other hand, Breaking 2 and Ineos 1:59 took Kipchoge's name outside of just running to the mainstream for superhuman feats.
Haha I caught how your opening was borrowed from Jimmy High roller's video that compares MJ to LeBron. Great video though!
So many variables here, but if you look at versatility within the 3 areas, Cross Country, Track and Marathon, Bekele has more wins and is probably the better overall/terrain runner. No one can or has come close to Kipchoge for the Marathon, just no question there with so many wins from major marathons, and if he had spent more time on the track or grass as Bekele has, it would be easier to compare these two amazing runners. I tip Kipchoge for consistency for the long haul and market recognition and Bekele for overall talent.
Kipchoge looks so much more relaxed running
People who put Bekele over Kipchoge are just plain wrong. The GOAT IS Eliud
No his not
@@teshlawaldemariam917 that is textbook denial
Kipchoge is the GOAT
If Kipchoge wins all 6 majors OR defends his Olympic title for a 3rd time, he has to move to number 1.
I go with Haile Gebrselassie. Why? Because in his heyday, his rapid fire setting world records at every event from 3k, through 2 miles, 5k, 10k, 15 k, 10m, 20k, hm, 25k, to marathon is unmatched. By far the most versatile runner, he basically could pick his event and set a world record. Longevity? 1991 to 2012.
It's gonna be ingeresting to see if Letesenbet Gidey and Joshua Cheptegei can achieve this kind of longevity. What Bekele and Kipchoge did is very impressive, but I think it's also good for the sport if there's some inconsistency amongst the top runners and you never know who's gonna be on top next season.
I think gidey is the female version of kipchoge
I think the best way to say it now would be both kipchoge and bekele share the #1 spot because it’s hard to try and tell the difference now between them.
Both are legends with an amazing streak.
What Bekele did in the track and cross country is from another world, and yet, he won Berlin with a 2nd fastest time ever.
Eliud has a marathon streak that will be really hard to find again. Plus, Eliud has the “power” of being the Nike Boy since the Breaking2, receiveing a crazy amount of media.
Hard to compare, but i would pick Bekele as number 1 of all time!
They are both great!
Kenenisa is the Messi or running, greatest to ever do it
Congrats on 500k
Kipchoge is the one because of the outlasting patience, perseverance. He has what it takes to truly go the distance beyond imagination.
I myself don't get why people think it's close, if person A dominated multiple events and has the 2nd fastest time in the event that person B dominated, person A is clearly the greater
Thank you ! People really lack logical thinking I see. They get too hyped on Kipchoge dominance in resent years and forgot to see the whole picture.
Lets gooo, 500k!
Wow what a content ♥️🔥
Thank you man🏃
Kipchoge might have to run a competitive in under 2 hours to become the undisputed GOAT. However, he could also achieve that status by dominating distances longer than the marathon.
He would need to dominate the half marathon as well to be of equal footing as Bekele. Kipchoge wasn't successful at Cross-Country or Track&Field. Bekele dominated 2 fields while Kipchoge only dominated the Marathon.
@@harivarmen At this point, the half marathon may be too fast for Kipchoge. However, he could build towards eventually breaking Sorokin's records.
Bekele- veristiy, longevity. I mean kipchoge is the best marathoner for sure. But bekele has great marathon success, way more track success and cross country success. I love the marathon but distance running is more diverse than one event.
If sb who doesn't know kipchoge reads you comment he will think kipchoge only competed in marathon only. Even kenenisa himself knows kipchoge did not race only in one event. He was not the best in 5k and 10k in his days in track but he used to medal behind Bekele often. I don't think there is great success in kenenisa marathon career. But I agree with you considering all distances Bekele is above kipchonge.
Bekele's XC results do it for me. The depth in the world XC championships is greater than any other distance running event in the world every year. All it would take is for someone to have their greatest day ever and they would win it and there are more top athletes fresh that day in top form than any other single running event, with no heats. No one ever has done better, in fact only John Ngugi with 4 wins has come closest. Bekele dominated on the track as well and his marathon performace is still among the all time greats (not in Kipchoge's realm) but overall Bekele dominates in 2/3 of the distance running arenas and is not embarrassed in the other.
Kipchoge wins the next Olympic marathon will convince me to put him ahead of Gebresalasie but still not Bekele.
Agreed. Bekele dominated in both fields the cross-country and track&field. Kipchoge only dominates the Marathon and doesn't compete in the half marathon for a reason. He wouldn't dominate. Kipchoge was 'mediocre' in every other distances.
@@harivarmen kipchoge was not a mediocre in 5k and 10k a you say. Mediocre cannot medal. And he did win even against Bekele. Use another word to down play him.
@@nichokituku4799 Kipchoge was 8th in the Marathon once just like Kipchoge wins over Bekele once.
@@harivarmen bro am not getting what you are saying. My point was kipchoge was a good 5k and 10k runner. He was second to Bekele several times because Bekele was the best in 5k and 10k... And loosing to the best doesn't make one mediocre. Is like saying the best marathoners we have currently are average just coz they can't beat kipchoge. Some are good only that they are racing in this kipchoge times. Am talking about people like legese, lemma, Amos Kipruto, Guye adola etc can't call them mediocre.
Kipchoge all day!
The marathon is the ultimate long distance test.
That sub 2:00:00 time is a quantum leap in endurance running.
I choose Bikele. Cross Country champ, 2nd fastest in the marathon, and more Olympic & Worlds podium finishes. He’ll be the first under 2:01.
It’s was Bekele vs Haile, then Bekele vs Mo Farah, then Bekele vs Kipchoge, and now Bekele vs Joshua. This just shows that Bekele is THE standard against to whom any greatness measurement.
I do applaud your effort to truly try to make a solid detailed effort when it comes to this question of the GOAT. I don’t think I can ever answer this because as far as I’m concerned, the answer is ends up being too subjective.
I would usually say Haile though because he really transcended the limits and upper echelon when it came to overall dominance as well as world records. All 27 of them. Even then though I still find myself skeptical given the nature of how undetectable EPO was during the late 90s and given that the late 90s was when there was this explosion of world records, I do find myself in need of having to pause. Not accuse. But pause.
I find myself waiting to wait to answer this GOAT question for me once this new generation mid/long distance studs make their way to the marathon. Joshua Cheptegai, Jakob (if he ever does go to the longer stuff), and so forth. There’s a generation of talent right now where I really do want to wait and see.
I understand the case to be made for Bekele as the GOAT but he just didn’t take the sport raise the standards to the level Haile did. He simply improved on his marks just a little more than Haile and they were about the same in terms of their sprinting prowess and Kenenisa was a better XC runner.
The sport is definitely has been changing rapidly in the last couple years alone since around the time Cheptegai went on his WR rampage back in 2020 and now everybody is out there trying to win and win fast and it’s been truly exciting along with the evolution of technology. I think it’ll be exciting to see what is possible on not just the men’s side but the women as I think the women definitely deserve the conversation of who will be the first to break 2:10. With that said, may you all be well and run fast 🙏🏼
Haile and Bekele is very similar in track dominance. Bekele dominates Cross-country too so he's better than Haile since it's 2 fields he dominates. For women's marathon record, it would easily be Letesenbet Gidey if she decides to run a marathon. Smashing the half marathon world record by a full minute as a debut is unheard of.