Sport > World > Lists > All Time Greatest > Track and Field > IAAF Hall of Fame

We want to know who is the greatest athlete ever. Most likely the greatest athletes from the sport of track and field will be included in the IAAF Hall of Fame, initially released in 2012. This list was released during the centenary year of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

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The criteria for induction included winning at least two Olympic or world championship gold medals and setting at least one world record. Athletes must also be retired for 10 years before becoming eligible for the Hall of Fame. There will be more names released soon, with total of 24 athletes named, representing all major event groups.

Inaugural List of 12 Athletes (March 2012)

• Jesse Owens (USA) - Sprint, Long Jump
• Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia) - Long distance running
• Paavo Nurmi (Finland) - Long distance running
• Carl Lewis (USA) - Sprint, Long Jump
• Emil Zatopek (Czechoslovakia) - Long distance running
• Al Oerter (USA) - Discus throw
• Adhemar da Silva (Brazil) - Triple jump
• Edwin Moses (USA) - 400 m hurdles
• Fanny Blankers-Koen (Netherlands) - Sprinting
• Betty Cuthbert (Australia) - Sprinting
• Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA) - Multi events
• Wang Junxia (China) - Long distance running

Others inducted in 2012

Inducted 2013

Inducted 2014

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Related Pages

• Who is the All-Time Greatest from Track & Field?
• More about track and field
• All time greatest index of sports