WHO IS THE GOAT? UPDATED APRIL 2024

Toni Reavis

April 21

Kenya's Alexander Munyao takes the win in London 2024 (2:04:01), followed by Ethiopia's Keninise Bekele in 2:04:15

Considering 41-yer-old Kenenisa Bekele's 2:04:15 second place finish in today's 2004 TCS London Marathon, I believe the Ethiopian legend strengthened his case for GOAT status in the world of distance running.

As far back as 2018, I deduced Kenenisa had already earned GOAT status off his 21 gold medals in world championships (18) and Olympic (3) competition, his record performances on the track, and second all-time (at the time) marathon time of 2:01:41.

Below is the argument I made in 2018. See if today's result, Kenenise's fastest marathon since 2019 at age 41, doesn't lead you to the same conclusion, especially seeing how his great Kenyan rival for GOAT, Eliud Kipchoge, has finally shown the first chinks in his armor in two of his last three marathons, 10th, 2024 Tokyo (2:06:50), 1st, 2023 Berlin (2:02:42) and 6th, 2023 Boston (2:09:23).

In light of his other-worldly 2:01:39 marathon world record in Berlin 2018, there were some, perhaps many, prepared to pronounce Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge as the GOAT, the greatest of all time male distance runner. Berlin was, arguably, the crowning achievement of his career. But did that performance, when added to the rest of his curriculum vitae, make a case for GOAT? Let's dig in and see.

GOAT Marathoner? Yes, indisputably. At the end of 2018, Eliud had produced ten wins in 11 starts, including an Olympic gold medal and a 2:00:25 fastest ever exhibition. There wasn't anyone arguing about that status. But overall GOAT distance runner? That, I thought, remained a step too far, though certainly he easily fit within the top five.

A century ago, the GOAT title was first held by Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn" who dominated running in the early 20th century. Nurmi set 22 official world records at distances between 1500 meters and 20km, and won nine gold and three silver medals in his Olympic competitions. At his peak, Nurmi went undefeated in 121 straight races from 800 meters up, and never tasted defeat in cross country or over 10,000 meters on the track.

In the 1950s, the great Emil Zatopek, known as the "Czech Locomotive", re-wrote the record books and introduced the concept of interval training. His Olympic triple in Helsinki 1952, where he won the 5000, 10,000, and then the marathon in his debut at the distance, all in Olympic record times, remains an unparalleled achievement. From there, the GOAT crown moved south to East Africa, where it resides to this day.