He was chosen as the first runner in the relay.
top-class runner
A runner who is among the best in their field.
She is one of the world's top-class runners.
vanguard; front line; cutting edge
Figurative use for a person or group leading a field or movement; often used in business, technology, or social contexts.
He is known as a vanguard of the industry.
This company is at the cutting edge of technological innovation.
top runner (benchmarking)
Business term for a system of comparing performance against the best in the field.
The top runner program was introduced to raise energy-saving standards.