The 30 Most Famous Runners of All Time – Ranked from 30 to 1
Running is one of humanity’s oldest and purest forms of competition, a discipline that has shaped both sporting history and cultural identity. From ancient Olympic contests to modern marathons drawing millions of spectators worldwide, great runners have always captured the public imagination.
The most famous runners are remembered not only for their speed but also for their stories: breaking barriers, defying prejudice, transforming training methods, or simply thrilling fans with their athletic brilliance. Their legacies extend far beyond finish lines, embodying resilience, determination, and the pursuit of human limits.
This ranking brings together sprinters, marathoners, middle-distance icons, and pioneers who changed the sport forever. Some redefined the boundaries of performance, such as Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon. Others, like Kathrine Switzer, fought for equality and reshaped opportunities for generations of women. Some became cultural icons, from Jesse Owens challenging Nazi propaganda in 1936, to Usain Bolt electrifying stadiums with his charisma and unmatched speed.
Here, we count down the 30 most famous runners of all time, starting from those with immense influence but slightly less name recognition today, all the way to the undisputed legends who remain household names across the globe.
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#30 – Dean Karnazes
Nicknamed the “Ultramarathon Man,” Dean Karnazes popularised extreme endurance running for mainstream audiences. His feats included running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days. Beyond sheer performance, his books and media appearances helped bring ultrarunning into popular culture.
#29 – Suzy Favor-Hamilton
A dominant American middle-distance runner in the 1990s, Favor-Hamilton represented the U.S. at three Olympic Games. She won seven NCAA titles and was a nine-time U.S. champion. Her story later included personal struggles, making her one of the sport’s most complex figures.
#28 – Mary Decker Slaney
Known for both her immense talent and her dramatic clash with Zola Budd at the 1984 Olympics, Decker was one of America’s greatest female distance runners. She set numerous world records and became a household name, symbolising both the glory and heartbreak of competitive athletics.
#27 – Marion Jones
Once the face of women’s sprinting, Jones won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Later revelations about doping tarnished her career, but her prominence at her peak cemented her as one of the most famous, and controversial, runners in history.
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#26 – Ann Trason
Widely considered one of the greatest ultramarathoners, Trason won the Western States 100 a record 14 times. She set world records at multiple ultra distances, redefining what women could achieve in extreme endurance running.
#25 – Maurice Greene
An American sprint star of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Greene once held the 100m world record at 9.79 seconds. He won Olympic and World Championship titles, embodying the U.S. dominance of sprinting before Bolt’s arrival.
#24 – Carl Lewis
One of the most decorated Olympians in track history, Lewis claimed nine gold medals across four Games. Known for his versatility, he excelled in both sprints and long jump, cementing himself as a sporting icon well beyond athletics.
#23 – Bill Rodgers
Nicknamed “Boston Billy,” Rodgers became a marathon legend by winning both the Boston and New York City Marathons four times each. His dominance in the 1970s helped spark the American running boom.
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#22 – Frank Shorter
Shorter’s marathon gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics inspired a generation of American runners. He is often credited with launching the U.S. running craze of the 1970s and remains one of the sport’s most influential figures.
#21 – Allyson Felix
The most decorated female track athlete in Olympic history, Felix’s career spanned five Games. Known for her graceful running style and fierce competitiveness, she won medals across the 200m and 400m, becoming a role model for women in sport.
#20 – Sebastian Coe
Now President of World Athletics, Coe was once a middle-distance powerhouse. He twice broke the 800m world record and won two Olympic golds in the 1500m. His fierce rivalry with Steve Ovett defined an era of British athletics.
#19 – Joan Benoit Samuelson
A pioneer for women’s running, Samuelson won the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon in 1984. Her victory in Los Angeles was a landmark for gender equality in sport, and she continues to inspire marathoners today.
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#18 – Courtney Dauwalter
An icon of ultrarunning’s modern era, Dauwalter is renowned for her astonishing endurance and mental toughness. She has won the Western States 100, UTMB, and Moab 240, often by huge margins, becoming a legend in trail running.
#17 – Steve Prefontaine
The rebellious face of American distance running in the 1970s, Prefontaine combined talent with charisma. Though he died tragically at just 24, his fearless racing style and outspoken advocacy for athletes’ rights made him a legend.
#16 – Fanny Blankers-Koen
The Dutch “Flying Housewife” won four gold medals at the 1948 London Olympics, defying stereotypes about women in sport. Her trailblazing achievements made her one of the most influential female athletes of the 20th century.
#15 – Florence Griffith-Joyner
Known as “Flo-Jo,” Griffith-Joyner still holds the women’s 100m and 200m world records from 1988. With her flamboyant style and blistering speed, she redefined sprinting and became a global icon, winning three Olympic golds in Seoul.
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#14 – Justin Gatlin
One of the most controversial sprinters in history, Gatlin won five Olympic medals and 12 World Championship medals, even defeating Bolt once. However, multiple doping bans marred his legacy, making him both famous and infamous.
#13 – Lynn Jennings
Considered America’s greatest female distance runner of her era, Jennings won three World Cross Country titles and nine national championships. Her dominance in the late 1980s and early 1990s set new standards for U.S. women’s running.
#12 – Michael Johnson
With his upright style and golden shoes, Johnson stunned the world by winning both the 200m and 400m at the 1996 Olympics. He held world records in both distances and remains a symbol of sprinting excellence.
#11 – Emil Zátopek
The Czech legend pioneered interval training and stunned the world at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, winning gold in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon – a feat never repeated. His relentless style earned him the nickname “the Czech Locomotive.”
#10 – Usain Bolt
The fastest man alive, Bolt still holds the 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19) world records. His showmanship, dominance across three Olympics, and larger-than-life personality made him a global superstar beyond athletics.
#9 – Jesse Owens
At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens won four gold medals, shattering Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy. As an African-American athlete, he became both a sporting legend and a civil rights symbol, inspiring generations.
#8 – Kenenisa Bekele
One of the greatest distance runners ever, Bekele amassed Olympic titles, multiple world records, and 11 World Cross Country golds. His rivalry with Gebrselassie and his brilliance across track and marathon cement his legendary status.
#7 – Sir Roger Bannister
In 1954, Bannister became the first man to break the four-minute mile barrier, running 3:59.4. His achievement symbolised the breaking of human limits, and his name remains synonymous with athletic possibility.
#6 – Haile Gebrselassie
Gebrselassie set 27 world records and won two Olympic golds over 10,000m. Later, he dominated marathons, winning Berlin four times. Revered for his smile as much as his stride, he is a global ambassador for the sport.
#5 – Paula Radcliffe
Radcliffe held the women’s marathon world record (2:15:25) for 16 years, a mark once thought untouchable. A three-time London Marathon winner, she embodied grit and determination, running with a famously unorthodox style.
#4 – Kathrine Switzer
The first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967, Switzer resisted attempts to drag her off the course. She later won the New York City Marathon and campaigned tirelessly for women’s rights in sport. A pioneer whose impact transcends running.
#3 – Sir Mo Farah
Britain’s most decorated distance runner, Farah claimed four Olympic golds and 17 major titles. Known for his devastating finishing kick, he became a national hero and one of the sport’s most recognisable figures worldwide.
#2 – Kelvin Kiptum
The rising star of marathoning, Kiptum broke the world record in Chicago in 2023 with 2:00:35. At just 23, he had already run three of the fastest marathons in history, positioning himself as the heir to Kipchoge’s throne.
#1 – Eliud Kipchoge
The greatest marathoner of all time, Kipchoge has won 15 of his 19 marathons, including two Olympic golds. He famously broke the two-hour barrier in an unofficial event in 2019. With discipline, humility, and historic performances, he embodies the essence of running greatness.
