Who is the World's Greatest Athlete?

Americans are so completley arrogant, No one exept you have heard of this heroes you are so completely in illusion. The baseball, american football are not about the greatest athletes: Possibe Americans Lewis, Ownens,M. Jonhson Ali and maybe Jordan maybe Armstrong. But in the world so many other to choose Stevenson (Cuba), Nurmi, Zatopek, Pele, Many eastern gymnasts (not Mary Lou Retton), USSR hockey (Who USA beat once, Bubka.

To say these irrelevant Americans are the greatest is like saying For a Norwegian that Dælie 9 olynpic golds or Ulvang are the best but in Ameriva who have heard about them??

Americans stop be so Arrogant get some perspective. But I agree Carl Lewis is the greatest for me best Olympian 9 gold only Ewry better 10 gold but that was standin jump in 1900s not a high level.

But also Lewis also lost but there were so many great duels and championships he won

Full Name:

Frederick Carlton Lewis

01 July 1961 in Birmingham, Alabama

Willingboro, New Jersey

Los Angeles, California and Houston, Texas

University of Houston

Santa Monica Track Club

Tom Tellez

Joe Douglas

6' 3" 1.90 meters

195 lbs. 88 kilograms

Personal Bests:

60 yards 6.02

100 meters 9.86 (WR & AR)

200 meters 19.75

Long Jump 8.87m/29' 11/4"

GENERAL STATISTICS

Olympic Athlete of the Century

World Athlete of the Year:

(3) 1982, 1983, 1984

US Athlete of the Year:

(7) 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1991

World Athlete of the Decade:

1980's

Sullivan Award Winner (USA Amateur Athlete of the Year - awarded by the AAU):

1981

U. S. Olympic Team member:

1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996

Olympic Medals:

10 - 9 Gold (1984-100, 200, 4x100, Long Jump; 1988-100, Long Jump;

1992-Long Jump, 4x100; 1996-Long Jump); 1 Silver (1988-200)

U. S. World Championships Team member:

1983, 1987, 1991, 1993 and 1995 (did not compete-injured)

World Championship Medals:

10 - 8 Gold (1983-100, 4x100, Long Jump; 1987-100, Long Jump, 4x100;

1991-100,4x100); 1 Silver (1991-Long Jump); 1 Bronze (1993- 200)

World Cup Gold Medals:

1 (1981-Long Jump)

Pan American Games Medals:

3 - 2 Gold (1987-Long Jump, 4x100); 1 Bronze (1979-Long Jump)

US Olympic Trials Championships:

5 (1984-100, 200, Long Jump; 1988- 100, Long Jump)

US Outdoor Championships:

13 (100-5, 200-2, Long Jump-6)

US Indoor Championships:

4 (60y-1, Long Jump-3)

World Records:

11 (4x100-37.86 in 1983, 4x100-37.83 in 1984, 100-9.92 in 1988,

4x200-1:19.38 in 1989, =4x100-37.79 in 1991, 4x100-37.67 in 1991,

100-9.86 in 1991; 4x100-37.50 in 1991; 4x200-1:19.11 in 1992;

4x100-37.40 in 1992; 4x200-1:18.68 in 1994)

American Records:

16 (200-19.75 in 1983, 4x100-37.86 in 1983, 4x100-37.83 in 1984,

=100-9.93 in 1987, =100-9.93 in 1988, 100-9.92 in 1988,

4x200-1:19.38 in 1989, 4x100 [non-national teams]-37.93 in 1990,

4x100-37.79 in 1991, 4x100-37.67 in 1991; 100-9.86 in 1991,

4x100-37.50 in 1991; 4x200-1:19.11 in 1992; 4x100-37.40 in 1992;

4x100 (non-national teams)-37.79 in 1994; 4x200-1:18.68 in 1994)

World, American Indoor Records:

4 (LJ-8.49/27-101/4 in 1981,

LJ-8.56/28-1 in 1982, 60y-6.02 in 1983, LJ-8.79/28-101/4 in 1984)

LONG JUMP

Longest winning streak:

65 meets - 46 outdoors and 19 indoors

Last loss before streak:

27 Feb 1981, TAC Indoor Championship, second to Larry Myricks

(8.14/26-8_ to 8.08/26-6_)

First meet of winning streak:

13 Mar 1981, NCAA Indoor Championships (8.48/27-10)

Streak broken:

30 Aug 1991, World Championships, second to Mike Powell

(8.95/29-4_ to 8.91w/29-2_w)

Longest streak of consecutive outdoor meets over 27 feet:

43 (beginning 16 May 1982, Pepsi Invitational - 28-3)

Meets over 27 feet:

74 (plus 11 qualifying rounds - 6 wind-legal, 5 windy)

Wind-legal meets over 27 feet:

67 (plus 6 qualifying rounds)

Jumps over 27 feet:

205

Wind-legal jumps over 27 feet:

163

Meets over 28 feet:

37

Wind-legal meets over 28 feet:

31

Jumps over 28 feet:

71

Wind-legal jumps over 28 feet:

50

100 METERS

Races under 10.00 seconds:

27 - 15 legal, 12 windy

200 METERS

Races under 20.00 seconds:

10 - 10 legal

RELAYS

Anchored 12 teams that have run under 38 seconds for 4x100m, including 6 world records:

37.86-1983 WR, 37.83-1984 WR, 37.98-1986, 37.90-1987, 37.93-1990, 37.79-1991 =WR,

37.67-1991 WR, 37.50-1991 WR, 37.97-1992, 37.40-1992 WR, 37.89-1994, 37.79-1994

Has run on four teams that have run under 1:20 for 4x200m:

1:19.38-1989 WR, 1:19.45-1991, 1:19.11-1992 WR, 1:18.68-WR

YEARLY BEST

Year (age/class)

1974 (13 - 7th)

1975 (14 - 8th)

1976 (15 - 9th)

1977 (16 - 10th)

1978 (17 - 11th)

1979 (18 - 12th)

1980 (19 - fresh)

1981 (20 - soph)

1982 (21)

1983 (22)

1984 (23)

1985 (24)

1986 (25)

1987 (26)

1988 (27)

1989 (28)

1990 (29)

1991 (30)

1992 (31)

1993 (32)

1994 (33)

1995 (34)

1996 (35)

1997 (36) 100 Meters

11.1h - 100 y

10.6h - 100 y

10.5h (9.3 - 100 y)

10.67 (9.3 - 100 y)

10.21 (10.16w)

10.00 (9.99w)

10.00

9.97 (9.93w)

9.99

9.98 (9.90w)

10.06 (9.91w)

9.93

9.92 (9.78w)

10.05

10.05

9.86 (9.80w)

10.07 (9.95w)

10.02 (9.90w)

10.04

10.12 (9.94w)

10.03 (9.7h, 9.94w)

10.50 200 Meters

20.9h

20.66

20.73

20.27

19.75

19.80

20.69 (20.3hw)

20.41 (20.1h, 20.23w)

19.92

19.79

20.47

dnc

20.46

20.15

19.99

dnc

20.28

20.19

dnc Long Jump

18-1

19-11

22-9

23-10

25-9

26-8_

26-7_ (27-4_w)

28-3_ (28-7_w)

28-9

28-10_

28-10_i (28-7)

28-3_ (28-9_w)

27-7_2i (27-4, 28-51_w)

28-8_ (28-9_w)

28-9

28-01_

27-11

29-1_ (29-2_w)

28-5_ (28-7_w)

dnc

28-5 (28-7_w)

26-3 (27-8_w*

27-10_/8.50

dnc

WORLD YEARLY RANKINGS

YEAR

AOY-W

AOY-US

100-W

100-US

200-W

200-US

LJ-W

LJ-US

1979 - - - - - - 5 2

1980 - - 7 5 - - 6 2

1981 2 1 1 1 - - 1 1

1982 1 1 1 1 6 5 1 1

1983 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1

1984 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1985 7 2 1 1 - - 1 1

1986 - 6 3 1 6 5 2 1

1987 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1

1988 3 1 1 1 2 2 1 1

1989 - 3 2 1 - - 1 1

1990 - 8 2 2 - - 2 2

1991 2 1 2 2 - - 2 2

1992 5 3 3 2 7 4 1 1

1993 - - 6 5 3 1 - -

1994 - - 10 5 - - 5 5

1995 - - - 7 - 6 7 5

1996 13t 9 10 4 10 6 1 1

CARL’S TOP 10 LONG JUMPS

Meets (wind-legal)

1. 8.87 /29-11/4

2. 8.79 /28-101/4

3. 8.79i/28-101/4i

4. 8.76 /28-9

5. 76 /28-9

6. 8.75 /28-81/2

7. 8.72 /28-71/4

8. 8.71 /28-7

9. 71 /28-7

10. 8.68 /28-53/4

World Champs 91

TAC 83

Millrose 84

Sportsfest 82

OT 88

Pan Am 87

Olympics 88

Pepsi 84

OT 84

OG 92-qual

Marks (wind-legal)

1. 8.87 /29-11/4

2. 8.84 /29-0

3. 8.79 /28-101/4

4. 79i/28-101/4i

5. 8.76 /28-9

6. 76 /28-9

7. 8.75 /28-81/2

8. 8.72 /28-71/2

9. 8.71 /28-7

10. 8.71 /28-7

World Champs 91

World Champs 91

TAC 83

Millrose 84

Sportsfest 82

OT 88

Pan Am 87

Olympics 88

TAC 83

Pepsi 84

CARL’S TOP 10 SPRINTS

100 Meters (wind-legal)

1 9.86

2. 9.92

3. 9.93

4. 9.93

5. 9.93 TAC 91

6. 9.93

7. 9.96

8. 9.96

9. 9.97

10. 9.97

World Champs 91

Olympics 88

World Champ 87

Weltklasse 88

TAC 91

World Champs-sf 91

OT-h 88

OT-qf 88

S&W Modesto 83

Olympics-sf 88

200 Meters (wind-legal)

1. 19.75

2. 19.79

3. 19.80

4. 19.82

5. 19.84

6. 19.86

7. 19.92

8. 19.99

9. 19.99

10. 19.99

TAC 83

Olympics 88

Olympics 84

Sestriere 88

Olympic Trials-qf 84

Olympic Trials 84

Madrid 87

Rice All Comers 88

Lausanne 93

World Champs 93

Kevin Stevens- former NY Ranger/Pittsburgh Penguin.

If you're not American get off this board because you suck. We're arrogant because we're better than you, so go back to your second tier country and wish you were us. w00t.

[quote]runtherockies wrote:

Reality Check folks....No distance runner deserves or will ever by the Worlds Greatest Athlete.

Athleticism is about balance and range at being good at many things. Bo Jackson running Track, Football and Baseball, etc. (although you could argue he's probably not very good at distance).

quote]

I disagree with your definition and believe that running (including distance running) and swimming are among the purest athletic pursuits -- everything else is just a take off with added novelty.

Agree that decathletes and boxers are some of the best athletes out there, I also have to add rasslers and say that I think the shot requires a lot of athleticism as well.

Thank goodness only one guy has put Michael Jordan on here.

I can't believe no one has mentioned Danny Ainge.

It's between Lance and Kenenisa hands down the two greatest athletes in the world, in terms of physical fitness, hell Lance's resting heart rate is 32 where as bekele'shas been under 40...heart rate obviously isn't the only component in determining the greatest athlete ever, but just some food for thought

it depends wat you mean by athlete, fitnesss lance is up there, but dominating there sports, hands down tiger woods, lets be real here, lance has dominated one event each year, and he doesnt do it alone, tiger woods dominates 4 events, he may not win them every year, but he does pretty damn good on them most of the time, some may say golf is golf, but augusta and st andrews are complete oppisites, most dominate in there sport, my vote goes to tiger woods. hands down

Bo Jackson. Was world class in sprinting, football and baseball.

Bradlee Van Pelt, hell f***ing sack your ass.

That has to be the most obscure reference of all time!

Only old Giant fans would even know who the heck that is, LOL!

Without a doubt, without a question, Carl Lewis.

King Carl was in the top three in the world for three events: 100m, 200m, and Long Jump, all of which are young men's events for a short career span, for FIVE OLYMPIADS!!!!! (1980-1984-1988-1992-1996)!!! Then, at age 35, in 1996, he wins an Olympic Gold Medal in the Long Jump!!! Tell me anybody who has ever come close to his accomplishments???

Anyone who can get anyone else to pay them millions of dollars to play a game has SOMETHING figured out.

Peter Snell won Superstars as well.

Al Oerter - 4 gold medals in 4 Olympics

The sports/events typically with the greatest athletes are: decathalon, gymnastics, boxing, wrestling.

However the greatest athletes of all time are:

1. Wayne Gretzky. There is a reason why he is called The Great One. What he accomplished in his sport was more than anyone else accomplished in their's.

2. Ali.

3. Thorpe.

4. Jackie Robinson.

haile!!!!!!!!!

I think it's pretty well acknowledged that the question refers to athletes we're familiar with. I don't think that we're slighting the rest of the world by focusing on US athletes.

In a country like Norway, the pool is much smaller -- there are less athletes in your country so naturally you are more attentive to those in other countries. I'm not sure, but I'm willing to bet the US has more professional athletes than any other country. Arrogance has nothing to do with it.

(although as a side note, I agree that Americans in general are extremely arrogant)

lance armstrong. what that guy achieved with his body is absolutely unbelievable.

My vote is Allen Iverson. Incredibly athletic and a top5 NBA player despite constant battering. I think with training he could be world class in a number of sports but he chose NBA riches.

Voting for a "non"revenue athlete is too much of a stretch for me. If they were truly the best athlete in the world they would shift their talents and make as much money as they could.