IN certain events, there really cannot be any discussion as to who the greatest of all-time is. It is almost impossible to look past the credentials of Ed Moses in the 400m hurdles and Iolanda Balas in the high jump as both athletes compiled 100-plus competition win-streaks as well as claiming two Olympic titles in their hey-day. The women's 1500m, however, is an event which lacks a standout protagonist but here's a look at the candidates who could rightfully claim the mantle of the greatest of all-time.
Maryam Jamal
Strengths: THE former Ethiopian has compiled a record 15 sub-four minute performances in her career and Jamal is also the reigning two-time world champion. In an event where very few athletes maintain longevity at the highest level, Jamal has already finished as the season's fastest performer four times in the past six years.
Drawbacks: EVEN though Jamal has won the past two global outdoor titles, her tactics are somewhat predictable at major championships and she doesn't look as formidable in non-paced slow-run races. Jamal finished adrift of the medals at the 2008 Olympic Games and while her under-performance in Beijing was a slight blot on her copybook, Jamal still has time on her side to enhance her résumé.
Hassiba Boulmerka
Strengths: NO matter what her form was like in the build-up, Boulmerka was always a redoubtable competitor at major championships. The Algerian became the first African woman to win a world title at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo and she repeated this feat at the 1992 Olympic Games, setting the still-standing African record of 3:55.30 en route to the gold medal. After bronze at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart, Boulmerka returned to the top of the podium at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg.
Drawbacks: UNLIKE many of her contemporaries, Boulmerka always prioritised the major championships over the commercial circuit and while this proved successful in claiming major titles, fast times are thin on the ground. Boulmerka only dropped below the four-minute barrier once, which doesn't compare as favourably to some of the other leading contenders. Furthermore, chances of retaining her Olympic title in 1996 dissipated as she got caught up in heavy traffic in her semi-final.
Tatyana Kazankina
Strengths: KAZANKINA was also a world-class exponent over 800m and 3000m which means it makes sense the Soviet really excelled at the metric-mile. After winning a tactical race at the 1976 Olympic Games, Kazankina defended her title in 1980 in 3:56.56 with a 1:59 final 800m and less than two weeks after claiming her third Olympic title in Moscow, she improved her world record from 3:55.0 to 3:52.47.
Drawbacks: A world title at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki would have surely sealed the deal but the former world record-holder missed out on selection. Likewise, the Soviet boycott at the 1984 Olympic Games prevented her from achieving a hat-trick of 1500m titles.
Svetlana Masterkova
Strengths: MASTERKOVA was an imperious tactician with one of the most formidable finishes in the history of middle-distance running. The Russian won the Olympic title in Atlanta in 4:00.83, the European title in Budapest in 4:11.91 and the world title in Seville in 3:59.53.
Drawbacks: DESPITE her sparkling PB of 3:56.77, many felt as though Masterkova was capable of running faster than her lifetime best which was set en route to a world mile record of 4:12.56 in 1996. Like Boulmerka, Masterkova's Olympic title defence in 2000 also went out with a whimper, as she dropped out of with injury.
Lyudmila Bragina
Strengths: BRAGINA was the pioneer of this event and the Soviet set the standard in 1972, lowering the world record from 4:09.62 to 4:01.38. Bragina also won the inaugural Olympic title in Munich.
Drawbacks: APART from her Olympic triumph in 1972, Bragina failed to make the same impact in other major meetings. She competed in three European Championships, finishing no higher than fourth and Bragina was fifth at the 1976 Olympic Games.
Tatyana Tomashova
Strengths: AFTER a solid career at the longer distances, Tomashova focused solely on the 1500m from 2002 and the long-haired Russian reaped the benefits. After bronze at the European Championships in 2002, Tomashova claimed a surprise gold medal at the World Championships in 2003, followed by silver at the 2004 Olympic Games. Despite sub-standard performances in the build-up to Helsinki, Tomashova defended her world title and she set a championship record of 3:56.91 at the 2006 European Championships.
Drawbacks: INJURY ruled Tomashova out of the 2007 World Championships and a doping suspension forced her to miss the 2008 Olympic Games. Tomashova lacks the same strength in depth of sub-four minute performances too.
Paula Ivan
Strengths: THE Romanian wasn't on the circuit for a long time but Ivan packed plenty into her three years on the international fold. Most notably, Ivan front-ran to victory at the 1988 Olympic Games where she set an Olympic record of 3:53.96 which has not been threatened since.
Drawbacks: EXCEPT for a brief return to the international scene in 2000, Ivan loses marks in the longevity stakes.
Gabriela Szabo
Strengths: AFTER a surprise elimination from the heats of the 5000m at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Szabo found redemption with silver in this event, along with bronze in Sydney. Having won the world 5000m title in 1997 and 1999 as well as the Olympic title in 2000, the Romanian added the world 1500m title to her haul in Edmonton, before silver at the 2002 European Championships. Szabo also handed Masterkova a rare defeat in Monaco in 1998, where she set her PB of 3:56.97.
Drawbacks: SZABO rarely contested this event and she only dipped below the four-minute barrier twice.
Tatyana Dorovskikh
Strengths: DOROVSKIKH was always dependable at major championships. She won the world title in 1987, Olympic silver in 1988 and world bronze in 1991.
Drawbacks: THE Soviet wasn't particularly motivated by fast times and she only recorded three sub-four minute clockings. Her PB of 3:57.92 was set towards the tail-end of her career in 1992 which means she might have gone faster at her peak in the late 1980s. Like Szabo, this was very much her secondary event too.
Mary Decker
Strengths: DECKER outsmarted the Soviets for the inaugural world title in Helsinki and she has good strength in depth in performances, amassing eight sub-four clockings. Decker still holds the US record at 3:57.12.
Drawbacks: THE American record-holder had bad luck at the major championships and has very little in the way of championship success to back up the world title she won in 1983.
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