Greatest American Runners of All Time

Jesse Owens Posted by korey

He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump, and as part of the 4x100 meter relay team.

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Edwin Moses Posted by korey

Won 107 consecutive finals! Enough said.

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Prefontaine Posted by korey

G.O.A.T. Prefontaine is considered to be among the greatest and most inspirational runners of the modern era by many of his fans. Prefontaine helped inspire a running boom in the 1970s along with contemporaries Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. Born and raised in Coos Bay, Oregon, Prefontaine was primarily a long-distance runner who once held the American record in the five distance track events from the 2000 meters to the 10,000 meters. He is known for his extremely aggressive "front-running" racing style and for always believing in giving a full effort.

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Michael Johnson Posted by korey

Holds the current world records in the 200 meters, 400 meters, and 4 x 400 m relay. He also has run the fastest 300 meters of all time, an event not recognized by the IAAF. He won five Olympic gold medals and was crowned world champion nine times.

jpzuck
on 7/25/08

You forgot Burke Bockman

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Jim Ryun Posted by korey

The last American to hold the world record in the mile run. His career is highlighted by his many world record times.

Mirakel46
on 12/17/09

Look at the condition of the track.. This was the 1966 Kansas Relays. It had poured the previous day, and dozens of volunteers worked hours to get the track in running shape. It was still not good. . .yet freshman Ryun ran 3:55.8, just a half-second off the American record. What might he have done on today's rubberized all-weather tracks? How much better might he have been with greater competition to push him? One can only imagine! That his high school record lasted 37 years indicates just how much better he was than his contemporaries. . .and yes, I include Marty Liquori.

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Billy Mills Posted by korey

No American had ever won the 10,000 m before Billy Mills did it, and no one from the Western Hemisphere has done it since.

korey
on 12/12/08

...semi one-performance wonder.

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Carl Lewis Posted by korey

Won 10 Olympic medals including 9 golds, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were golds, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired.

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Frank Shorter Posted by korey

Greatest fame came when Shorter won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Olympics.

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Tyson Gay Posted by korey

HOPING! Won gold medals at the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 x 100 m at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan.

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Bernard Lagat Posted by korey

HOPING! In July, 2008, Lagat won the US Olympic Trials in the 1500m and 5000m, making the Olympic team in both events.

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Burke Bockman Added by jpzuck

The only runner in this list that was featured in a 2008 Summer Olympic Commercial

burke400h
on 12/6/08

not true as seeing the commercial he was in was for tyson gay

korey
on 12/12/08

Still..you were on the track with him!

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