Olympic performances have ranged from those of Jamaica’s all-time great Usain Bolt to those of America’s starlet Michale Phelps.
Since its establishment in 1900, the world’s largest sports event has hosted over 25 iterations, serving as a proud platform for the development of some of the world’s finest athletes.
Who is the Greatest Olympian of All Time
Sportco now features a list of the top 10 greatest Olympians of all time, those who have triumphed against the odds to have their names etched in stone.
Micheal Fred Phelps II has won a record-breaking 28 medals at the Olympic Games, making him one of, if not the greatest Olympian of all time.
Michael Phelps, widely known as “The Baltimore Bullet,” broke Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing to set a new record for most individual Olympic gold medals won in a single competition.
The 36-year-old not only has a voracious appetite for gold, but he also holds a total of 39 world records, 29 of which are for individual performances and 10 of which are for relay teams.
Michael Phelps, who has won a record-breaking 22 Olympic medals, is without question the most successful Olympian in history. Phelps would definitely need a chair, unable to stand with all that grandeur draped around his neck, if every Olympian in London donned all their Olympic medals at once in a bizarre picture opportunity of total brilliance.
Although Phelps was the most decorated Olympian of all time, Usain Bolt was the most impressive athlete in London. They’re both on a short list, but following Bolt’s last historic performance in London, he might have the edge.
Although Olympic greatness is certainly defined in medals, it is difficult to witness what Bolt has done over the previous two Olympiads and not consider him the best in London, if not the best ever. Phelps has averaged more than seven medals in each of the last three Summer Games.
Final Words
Let’s agree up front that we’re contrasting the freshest apple with the creamiest ackee (if I may inject a little Jamaican flavour). They’re just different, and there’ll never be a unanimous decision about which is best. (Please keep this in mind before you criticise me or anybody else in the comments area.)
Over the course of his career, Bolt has competed in 17 Olympic events. Bolt has won 16 of those 17 events. These include the preliminary, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds of the 100-, 200-, and 4×100-meter relays. Two days after setting the world record in the 100-meter, Bolt broke the record again in the 200-meter qualifying event at the Beijing Olympics, finishing in second place.
