The greatest athlete of all time?

  • Thread starter Villan Of The North
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Villan Of The North

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Now whilst I think that Usain Bolt is an incredible athlete, no doubt the best 100m runner we have ever seen, I'm a little reticent to agree with the gushings of 5 Live and Talksport presenters that declare him to be the greatest athlete of all time, surely that accolade should be reserved for one of the few that has, at least in my mind, done something even more remarkable in their career, people like Steve Redgrave, winning 5 Olympic golds in 5 different Olympic games or, my personal choice Daley Thompson.

Thompson was undefeated in decathlon for 9 years, winning 2 Olympic golds and breaking the world record 4 times in that period, at the same time he was not only the "complete all rounder" he also competed individually in the long jump which he actually won a British championship in 1979 and also represented Great Britain in the 4x100m sprint relay.

Other notable claimants of the accolade would include Kjetil Andre Åmodt, the most successful alpine skier in history with 8 Olympic medals (4 gold), 12 world championship medals (5 gold) and 64 world cup podium finishes (21 gold), Ole Einar Bjørndalen, the most successful bi-athlete in history with 13 Olympic medals (8gold), 40 World Championship medals (19 gold) and a massive 250 World cup podium finishes (including team events and cross country events giving a total of 131 gold medals) and he still competed in the most recent season at the age of 41 and has not yet announced his retirement. Sergey Bubka, the Ukranian pole-vaulter who was undefeated over a 10 year period and broke the world record and impressive 11 times. The incomparable in his event, Michael Johnson, with 4 Olympic golds and 8 World Championship golds and world records at 200-,300- and 400 meters.

I'm sure there are other candidates, some of whom I have listed above, and whilst I can't deny that Bolt is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, I can't yet put him even close to some of the people mentioned above. Can you?

Add your own option if they are not on the list.
 
My choice is Jesse Owens. At a time when drug cheats weren't even born, indeed he had to go and win Olympic golds in Hitler's backyard in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

There, he won gold in the 100 mtrs, 200 mtrs, long jump and the 4x100 mtrs relay.

 
There are a few for me. Hard to pick just one.

Michael johnson.... especially as his opponents were probably juices up to the eye balls.

This will be spelt wrong... javelin jans zelechnchny

Steve redgrave pure grit and passion

Have to mention ronda rousey. Can you think of ANY athlete so dominant in their chosen field. Ok they say her competition just isnt good enough... but why?... she had same chance as everyone else... she is human... who beat her at the olympics... why hasnt she been as successful. While i can see old floyd getting beat (and in my eyes de la hoyer won that fight).. i simply cannot see any woman on the planet even getting close to beating her.
 
Good call on Owens, perhaps not as dominant in general as some of the others mentioned but given the background to the situation and the environment he had to compete in, he certainly has to be a contender.

My reason for picking Thompson is that, not only did he dominate his sport for 9 years, including dominating another athlete, Jurgen Hinksen, who would also have a claim to this title had it not been for Thompson, he did it in the event that requires a level of excellence to compete with specialists in several of the 10 disciplines, something that he did in 2 of them, long jump and 100m sprint. He was the consummate all rounder.

 
Between Michael Johnson and Bolt for me.

I'm gonna go Bolt. Just look at what he's achieved in his career.

10 World Championship Golds across 100m, 200m and relay

6 Olympic Golds across 100m, 200m, and relay

Commonwealth Gold in the relay.

Breaking 7 World Records along the way in all 3 events.

But not only this, but you really have to take into account what he does off the track. He trancends athletics and brings it to the masses. Even none sports fans know who Usain Bolt is.

Michael Johnson's medal tally doesn't quite stack up, even though I'd argue 400m is a more difficult event.

Redgrave was a team member. No doubting his greatness, but would he have done so well without Pinsent and his other partners?

Daley Thompson, I can see a case for him. To be so good at so many different events is just brilliant, but I'm sticking with Bolt.
 
DeanoVilla - 28/8/2015 10:34




But not only this, but you really have to take into account what he does off the track. He trancends athletics and brings it to the masses. Even none sports fans know who Usain Bolt is.
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This is not about who's most popular though Deano, it's about athletic performance so this shouldn't come into it. All that this proves is that in addition to being a great athlete, he's also a good showman. Interestingly, your other top choice, Johnson, was also a showman and Thompson is no shrinking violet either.......I see a pattern emerging :5:


 
I do have a bit of a man crush on Johnson. His punditry on the BBC is just brilliant. I could listen to him all day.
 
Great thread i grew up idolising Christie Regis and Roger Black who i loved all on em tbh,,,,of all time Johnson was just a beast so Bolt or Johnson 50/50 can't choose tbh
 
I went for Bolt, it's not just what he does , but the way he does it as well with all the showboating etc.

Mind you a shout must go out for Ed Moses who won well over a 100 consecutive races at 400m hurdles in a 10 year span. Terrific record that I don't think anyone has got close too.
 
Daley Thompson. Running short and long distances, throwing stuff, jumping he was the best all rounder so has to be top boy.

If I can't have him then Bill Werbinek.
 
Jessie James the Vital legend :30: good to see yam all well dude!!! :7:
 
Yeah mate sound, just watching my favourite ever grand designs for about the hundredth time, the build is crap, the people are crap, but the woman on it has nipples like a battleships rivets!
How are you mate, did you get your eyes sorted out?
 
What a ridiculous list no Seb Coe? He held the 800metres world record for nearly 20 years. No Jonathan Edwards? He's held the triple jump world record for twenty years. No Carl Lewis no Mo Farah no Flo Jo.
 
Plus who the hell is Mohamed Ali? If you're going to include the great mans name on the list at least spell his name correctly its Muhammed Ali.
 
James06 - 28/8/2015 21:40

Yeah mate sound, just watching my favourite ever grand designs for about the hundredth time, the build is crap, the people are crap, but the woman on it has nipples like a battleships rivets!
How are you mate, did you get your eyes sorted out?
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:1: :19: Thats the real mccoy James i rmeember :19:

Great to see you on here really has made mar night, Club dude i don't see anymore in here but now yam on here supeeeerb :4: :17:

My eyes pfff bloody hopeless mate, bloody anxiety attacks stopping me having the operation :3: thought it was something else but doctor says no op's until i calm down,,,''who me getting overexcited and hyped up,,,,never'' :9:

Hows your nipper mate hope yam all well!
 
Yeah all good our kid, two of them keeping me busy, hence less time on here.
Gotta do what the quack says though mate and calm down if you're gonna get sorted, have you tried drinking? Or if that doesn't work how about cannabis?
 
LOL PMSL beer and cannabis arrr man i wish you was my doc mate i really do LOL i chill more now tbh i have gone back to smoking menbthal fags though which i was stopping since i found out, gotta get right with a third nipp on the way soon ffs LOL

Kids keeping you busy i bet mate it is so tough keeping them occupied this summer holidays thank McGrath for super mario and super mario kart oh and got them into sonic the hedgog ;)

 
Celebrity BB is on with porno stars in it ffs Jenna JAMESON WOOOHOOOOOOI
 
Ali all the way for me. I admire all athletes but to achieve what this man did time and time again against the odds was nothing short of miraculous. There will never be another. He changed the face of boxing ( and sport ) in the same way Elvis changed music and Bruce Lee changed martial arts. A one off.
 
I can't vote, I think they are all the greatest! To get to the top of your chosen field is just so amazing, I honestly couldn't and wouldn't choose. Not many gymnasts are household names for instance but their brilliance and dedication knows no limits...

Just :30: and :14: to them all
 
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