"Jesse Owens is the greatest athlete of all time in my opinion. I think you’d have to put Usain Bolt second. I’d put myself third and I’d put Lewis fourth. But Lewis is the greatest athlete ever.”- Michael Johnson
Jesse Owens competed in 4 National Championships
1933 F: 100 meters; S/F: 7/7; D: 30 JUN 1 Ralph Metcalfe 10.5 MR 2 James Johnson......who? 3 Jesse Owens 4 Paul Starr 5 Hudson Hellmich 6 Don Bennett
He came in third there, he lost to Metcalf again in 34 lost to Eulace Peacock in 35, did win in 1936. He was not a dominate sprinter.
He was a dominate long jumper.
Curious if MJ can really talk sprint history, doesn't look like it to me. You can't have a 3-7 record vs anpther sprinter and be the best sprinter.
MJ said Owens is the greatest athlete of all time but Lewis is the greatest athlete ever. What are his interpretations of “all time” and “ever”?
Interestingly, that 15 flat in the 150m is not a stunning time or one that Michael Johnson didn't surpass enroute in his 19.32. How many world records did Donovan Bailey set? We're talking about a career, not one exhibition race. Michael Johnson had four Olympic golds (stunningly, only one was a relay) and 8 World Championship golds (two relays there). Some of his golds may have been taken away because other relay guys were caught doping--I think that was the case for one of the Olympic 4x4s. 12 World and Olympic golds, most of them individual, plus long-standing world records at 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relay as anchor leg gives him a great case for second all-time, if you doubt Jesse Owens. Bolt has to be #1 for his many honors and world records at 100m, 200m, and 4x100m in a long career and a still-standing unbelievable 100m record of 9.58. World champions since don't typically run within two-tenths of that time. And he could have run a very fast 400m if he had wanted as well. I don't discount Jesse Owens. He had six world records (one tying) in 45 minutes in Ann Arbor in 1935, competing with an injury. He won four golds in 1936 against doped up German athletes and the best Americans. He lost out any hope of competing in 1940 and 1944 due to the War. There were no world champs back then. He was, of course, running on dirt tracks. There was no other athlete like him again until Carl Lewis. Those are the top four all-time, Bolt, Johnson, Owens, and Lewis.
Maybe Johnson meant (and if he didn’t, we could the discussion) of Jesse Owens being the most important or significant athlete ever, for his achievements in a historical context, especially Berlin 36. My opinion…Bolt greatest sprinter, Johnson 2nd, Carl best athlete.
Jesse Owens is the most over rated sprinter in history. The guy had a 3-7 record vs Temples Eulace Peacock, he once lost five races in a row to Peacock. Injuries to Peacock ruined his Olympic hopes in 1936. Owens lost to Ralph Metcalf numerous times, was beaten by James "Who?" Johnson at our 35 Nationals. Owens was the greatest long jumper ever up to Ralph Boston in the 60's.
Tommie Smith held 11 world records, he was the first sub 44.00 4x4 relayer, his 19.5 200 straight was considered to be the greatest mark in the spors histrory at that time. He beat the great Lee Evans in the 400 and ran down the soon to be Olympic 100m champ Jimmy Hines on a pre Olympics 4x1 anchor leg. Smith has to be on that Mount Rushmore for sprinters.
I worked with Willie Neal the uncle of NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal, he ran with Tommie while at Lemoore high school, they were good friends. He talked about how all that raised fist stuff was because of pressure from Tommie's wife, she was the one pushing that stuff not Tommie In his book "Blackthink" Jesse Owens says the same thing, more about doing what the wife wanted.
Bob Hayes was the first sub 6.0 60 cat, histories first sub 10.00 on dirt (windy) twice ran a 200m world record, ran the 100 yard world record at 9.3, 9.2 and a gang of 9.1's. From the beginning of time up to the arrival of Bob Hayes nobody in history had ever ran faster. That Olympic 4x1 anchor the greatest display of speed ever seen up to 1964. If hed stayed in the sport he's beatng Hines UP in Mexico City in 68, 9.85 sounds about right.
Obviously Bolt has to be there and we can go with Johnson also for obvious reasons.
Jesse Owens is the most over rated sprinter in history. The guy had a 3-7 record vs Temples Eulace Peacock, he once lost five races in a row to Peacock. Injuries to Peacock ruined his Olympic hopes in 1936. Owens lost to Ralph Metcalf numerous times, was beaten by James "Who?" Johnson at our 35 Nationals. Owens was the greatest long jumper ever up to Ralph Boston in the 60's.
Tommie Smith held 11 world records, he was the first sub 44.00 4x4 relayer, his 19.5 200 straight was considered to be the greatest mark in the spors histrory at that time. He beat the great Lee Evans in the 400 and ran down the soon to be Olympic 100m champ Jimmy Hines on a pre Olympics 4x1 anchor leg. Smith has to be on that Mount Rushmore for sprinters.
I worked with Willie Neal the uncle of NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal, he ran with Tommie while at Lemoore high school, they were good friends. He talked about how all that raised fist stuff was because of pressure from Tommie's wife, she was the one pushing that stuff not Tommie In his book "Blackthink" Jesse Owens says the same thing, more about doing what the wife wanted.
Bob Hayes was the first sub 6.0 60 cat, histories first sub 10.00 on dirt (windy) twice ran a 200m world record, ran the 100 yard world record at 9.3, 9.2 and a gang of 9.1's. From the beginning of time up to the arrival of Bob Hayes nobody in history had ever ran faster. That Olympic 4x1 anchor the greatest display of speed ever seen up to 1964. If hed stayed in the sport he's beatng Hines UP in Mexico City in 68, 9.85 sounds about right.
Obviously Bolt has to be there and we can go with Johnson also for obvious reasons.
How about
1.Bolt
2.MJ
3.Tommie Smith
4.Bob Hayes
Carl Lewis the greatest track AND field athlete.
1.Bolt 2.Johnson. 3.Lindy Remigino 4. Houston Mctear 5. Carl Lewis 6. Bob Hayes 7. Willie Gault 8. Donovan Bailey 9. Steve Ovett 10. Edwin Moses
Jesse Owens is the most over rated sprinter in history. The guy had a 3-7 record vs Temples Eulace Peacock, he once lost five races in a row to Peacock. Injuries to Peacock ruined his Olympic hopes in 1936. Owens lost to Ralph Metcalf numerous times, was beaten by James "Who?" Johnson at our 35 Nationals. Owens was the greatest long jumper ever up to Ralph Boston in the 60's.
Tommie Smith held 11 world records, he was the first sub 44.00 4x4 relayer, his 19.5 200 straight was considered to be the greatest mark in the spors histrory at that time. He beat the great Lee Evans in the 400 and ran down the soon to be Olympic 100m champ Jimmy Hines on a pre Olympics 4x1 anchor leg. Smith has to be on that Mount Rushmore for sprinters.
I worked with Willie Neal the uncle of NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal, he ran with Tommie while at Lemoore high school, they were good friends. He talked about how all that raised fist stuff was because of pressure from Tommie's wife, she was the one pushing that stuff not Tommie In his book "Blackthink" Jesse Owens says the same thing, more about doing what the wife wanted.
Bob Hayes was the first sub 6.0 60 cat, histories first sub 10.00 on dirt (windy) twice ran a 200m world record, ran the 100 yard world record at 9.3, 9.2 and a gang of 9.1's. From the beginning of time up to the arrival of Bob Hayes nobody in history had ever ran faster. That Olympic 4x1 anchor the greatest display of speed ever seen up to 1964. If hed stayed in the sport he's beatng Hines UP in Mexico City in 68, 9.85 sounds about right.
Obviously Bolt has to be there and we can go with Johnson also for obvious reasons.
The best athlete in T&F History is Grant Holloway. No doubt. No competition. Range from 1-400m, HJ and LJ, and hurdles. I wish he was on the relays.
I don't disagree but until he demonstrates that prowess at the international level (and wins an Olympic gold) he shouldn't even be on the list of all-time track athletes.
Seriously though, it's too bad relays are so political. He should be on the 4x100 and 4x400.
I think Yohan Blake should be given a little bit of consideration to at least be in the top five. He’s the second fastest man ever at 100, and 200. If he didn’t compete against Usain Bolt, he would have been a double gold medalist in 2012.
I think Yohan Blake should be given a little bit of consideration to at least be in the top five. He’s the second fastest man ever at 100, and 200. If he didn’t compete against Usain Bolt, he would have been a double gold medalist in 2012.
If Bolt wasn't Bolt, Yohan's legacy likely similar to ETH's on the women's side.
I remember at the 2009 Worlds there was a press conference featuring Johnson and when asked if Bolt can break his 200m WR Johnson relied maybe 1 day but he had to improve a bunch to get it. MJ looked like a fool when a few days later in less than ideal conditions Bolt destroyed the 200m WR.
You remember poorly as Bolt already held the record at the 2009 world championships.
Is MJ going to pretend that the 100m global title and record aren’t the most prestigious titles in sport, all sports! Without 100m credentials, you aren’t one of the greatest sprinters of all time. MJ, awesome for sure, greatest long sprinter, and greatest 200m/400m sprinter, but not in the conversation for greatest sprinter ever.
Carl Lewis's body was so polluted, he had to have multiple national agencies cover them up. Funny how some have suspicion linked to their names but someone like Lewis who it's been shown cheated gets a pass.
LEWIS WAS A DRUG CHEAT WHO HAD POSITIVE TESTS COVERED UP.
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