If you are broadening to "sports star" then I 100% disagree. A gigantic percent of people who watch any sports at all or have a TV would recognize Tom Brady, Lebron James, Lance Armstrong, Michaela Shiffrin, Shaun White, Phelps ...Olympic glory + unique look +lots of ads = recognizable outside sport. Ryan Crouser/Bolt on the bubble. Felix/Mclaughlin/Mu/Lyles on bubble in the US. Olympics are important, non sports enthusiasts watch the olympics. In the spirit of the OPs question, I think Bolt is by far the most recognizable track dude and he wouldn't touch the star recognizability of the ones I just listed.
So, no, outside the home country, track stars fairly anonymous
I follow sports a lot and have no idea who Michaela Shiffrin is and most people have no clue who Shuan White is.
Sorry to hear that. But these are athletes that are on heavy heavy rotation in many household around the olympics for many years. A lot of people would recognize them. I would argue there is no way you dont know the name Shaun White if you "follow sports a lot"? Its osmosis. He was in our living rooms for 16 years winning gold medals and featured from start to end of every winter olympics for 4 olympics.
If you are broadening to "sports star" then I 100% disagree. A gigantic percent of people who watch any sports at all or have a TV would recognize Tom Brady, Lebron James, Lance Armstrong, Michaela Shiffrin, Shaun White, Phelps ...Olympic glory + unique look +lots of ads = recognizable outside sport. Ryan Crouser/Bolt on the bubble. Felix/Mclaughlin/Mu/Lyles on bubble in the US. Olympics are important, non sports enthusiasts watch the olympics. In the spirit of the OPs question, I think Bolt is by far the most recognizable track dude and he wouldn't touch the star recognizability of the ones I just listed.
So, no, outside the home country, track stars fairly anonymous
Shiffrin does not have "unique look." Neither does White without his carrot top.
And 99% of people outside the US would not recognize Giselle Bundchen's ex-husband.
Disagree. Tom Brady is famous well beyond football at this point. "99% seems a bit high. SW and MS are featured widely in sports that are featured widely internationally and are the best of all time...from any country. Norway as opposed to India? I dont know.
Right. If noticed on any one street one street anywhere in the world, they meet the criteria.
Could NOT, you’re reading of it is if it said could.
Most native speakers would interpret the question as you do, but “read it again” is being facetious though not wrong because like several English words, “any” has two nearly contradictory meanings, one of which means one of a number of things or some of a thing and the other means “all”, e.g.,
He can do any task, as in he has the capability to do all possible tasks.
He can do any task, as in it is okay for him to be assigned to do whatever (one or few) miscellaneous task at hand needs to be done.
The most famous living person is probably either Obama or Prince Charles. Queen Elizabeth or Princess Diana might have been the most famous when they were alive.
It's hard to beat a US President or British royalty for worldwide fame.
Name one current track star that’s actually famous. I contend that there’s none.
"In the world"? I think you could find some in some places.
Eric Heiden (pretty good speedskater and cyclist) could go places in the US and no one would really know him. However, he was the team doc for USA Cycling at the world championships in the Netherlands and could not walk through the lobby. That was 20+ years AFTER Lake Placid and the Dutch knew who he was. (The steps to get him out of the hotel were like something out of a spy movie at times.)
So yeah I think there are spots where they are famous to be noticeable.
I suspect if I saw a track athlete some place that I would look and think "I know that is someone but not sure who".
Name one current track star that’s actually famous. I contend that there’s none.
Sydney McLaughin is probably the most famous runner in the US right now, and she has said that she walks around LA all the time and is rarely recognized.
Probably because she is seen in her running kit more often in adverts than in actual track meets
Shaq or LeBron I think would be the most recognizable athletes globally, not only because of their on court talent but because of their massive stature and the frequency that they are featured on TV, in adds, etc...
Which athletes any sport would get stopped on every street in the world? Messi, Ronaldo, lebron, Kevin Durant? Probably a few more footballers.
Mbappé, Neymar, Federer, Nadal, Tiger Woods, Djokovic maybe Lewis Hamilton and a few others. Obviously not exactly everywhere in the world but in most big cities.
Which athletes any sport would get stopped on every street in the world? Messi, Ronaldo, lebron, Kevin Durant? Probably a few more footballers.
Mbappé, Neymar, Federer, Nadal, Tiger Woods, Djokovic maybe Lewis Hamilton and a few others. Obviously not exactly everywhere in the world but in most big cities.
I don't think I could recognize Lewis Hamilton. Auto racers are wearing helmets during competition, and not easily recognizable.
Name one current track star that’s actually famous. I contend that there’s none.
The way some of her fanbois act around here, I'm amazed Katelyn Tuohy's not mentioned, though I couldn't pick her out of a police lineup unless she wore a race bib with her name on it.