Posted: August 18, 2005

Athletics: Scott Says Webb Will Be The Greatest American Ever

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

He has held the U.S. record in the mile for over 23 years (3:47.69), but it was not until today that Steve Scott had ever exchanged any words with Alan Webb, the #4 U.S. miler of all-time (3:48.92).

"I've never had a chance to talk to Alan," said Scott on a conference call today hosted by the New York Road Runners who announced that Webb would headline the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile on September 24. Scott had joined the call from a neighbor's house in Carlsbad, Calif. because his house doesn't have a landline telephone. "I always wanted to express my admiration for him."

Scott certainly made good use of his chance today. He told reporters that Webb would "be the greatest American ever by the time his career was over," and he specifically said that Webb would be the greatest distance runner and not just a miler. He praised Webb's approach to training and racing saying that Webb was wasn't over racing and making every effort count. He also said he was handling his fame very well.

"A lot of pressure has been put on him," added Scott.

Webb, speaking from Zürich where he will run the 1500m in the Weltklasse tomorrow night, was clearly buoyed by Scott's words and said that despite the late September date of the road mile in New York, he would be ready.

"I'll be in good shape," said Webb. "This race has been in the back of my mind for some time."

Scott, now 49 years old and a survivor of testicular cancer, won the Fifth Avenue Mile twice in 1983 (3:49.77) and 1988 (3:53.43). He said that the long view to the finish line from more than half a mile away made it difficult to time his sprint, so he would pick some fixed landmark on the side of the course about 200m from the finish line to help him stay oriented.

The Road Runners are elevating the race to its former glory after seven years as a local event. They are being helped by sponsorship support from the producers of a television movie on Roger Bannister which will be shown on ESPN2 in October entitled "Four Minutes." NYRR president and chief executive officer, Mary Wittenberg, called the event the "world's most famous road mile" and said the the race would feature an "incredible field."

Indeed, Webb will need to outleg recent World Championships bronze medalists, Craig Mottram, and Rui Silva, to get his first win on Fifth Avenue. Australian Mottram, best known as a 5000m runner, is also the Oceana record holder in the mile with a 3:48.98 career best. Portuguese Silva, who also won the 1500m bronze medal at the Olympic Games last summer, has a 3:49.50 career best in the mile. His manager is Miguel Mostaza, who also manages Spaniard Isaac Viciosa who won on Fifth Avenue four consecutive times from 1995 through 1998.

Wittenberg called Mottram, Silva and Webb "some of the most exciting athletes in the sport."

The course record for the event is a sizzling 3:47.52 by American Sydney Maree, one of the oldest road running records in the United States.