#10. Joaquim Cruz, Brazil
#9. Mel Sheppard, USA
#8. Alberto Juantorena, Cuba
#7. Ted Meredith, USA
#6. John Woodruff, USA
#5. Douglas Lowe, UK
#4. Sebastian Coe, UK
#3. Mal Whitfield, USA
#2. Wilson Kipketer (Kenya / Denmark)
Born December 12, 1972, Kapchemoiyiwo, Kenya
There's less to tell of Kipketer's story to tell than of the others in this series, as he's the most contemporary of them. He had the prototypical champion runner's pedigree; a member of the Nandi tribe, he was first noticed by Kip Keino who suggested he attend St. Patrick's high school in Iten. He made the Kenyan team for the World Junior Championships twice, where his best result was fourth.
He saw rapid improvement in 1990, the same year that he went to Copenhagen as an exchange student. From that moment forward he made Denmark his home. His relations with Kenyan officials were so strained that given the choice of running in the 1996 Olympics for Kenya or not running at all, he chose the latter.
Kipketer's 1996 and 1997 seasons were possibly the most dominant ever in this event. I really am of two minds as to whether he should be list as #2 or #1. He won three World Championships titles but failed in other major events, most notably the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Had he won that race, he'd be #1.
| Year | Rank | Mark | Meets, etc. |
| 1993 | -- | 1:45.46 | |
| 1994 | 1 | 1:43.29 | 17 wins in 19 meets |
| 1995 | 1 | 1:42.87 | 1) W Ch; 10 wins in 12 meets |
| 1996 | 1 | 1:41.83 | undefeated in 13 meets |
| 1997 | 1 | 1:41.11 WR | 1) W ID, 1) W Ch; undefeated in 13 meets |
| 1998 | 4 | 1:43.18 | 3) Euro Ch; ill (malaria) |
| 1999 | 1 | 1:42.27 | 2) W ID, 1) W Ch |
| 2000 | 4 | 1:43.35 | 2) Oly Gms |
| 2001 | -- | -- | injured |
| 2002 | 1 | 1:42.32 | 1) Euro Ch; 9 wins in 10 meets |
| 2003 | 5 | 1:43.28 | 2) W ID, 4) W Ch |
| 2004 | 1:43.88 | 3) Oly Gms |
Links: Wikipedia -- Statistical Bio
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