Ingrid Kristiansen

The only athlete to hold the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon world records at the same time, Kristiansen is the purest crossover case. She won the 1987 world 10,000m title and broke the 10,000m record by a vast margin in 1986, while her 2:21:06 marathon in London in 1985 lasted 13 years. Her strength from years as a cross-country skier suited solo front-running, which worked as well on a 400m oval as on the Embankment.