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Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt: Who's the Olympic G.O.A.T.?


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Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt: Who's the Olympic G.O.A.T.?  

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I pick Bolt just because I love track and field.

 

http://www.foxsports.com/olympics/story/michael-phelps-or-usain-bolt-whos-the-olympic-g-o-a-t-081916

 

Usain Bolt won his third gold medal of the Rio Olympics on Friday night with another scintillating sprint in Jamaica's 4x100 relay. That gives Bolt nine gold medals in his last nine Olympic races and ties him for second on the all-time tally of golds, well behind another Rio star, Michael Phelps. If we take both at their word that this is their final Olympics, then it's finally the right time to ask the question - Bolt or Phelps: Who's the greatest Olympian of all? Let's break it down.

 

(Getty Images)

 

The case for Michael Phelps

 

 

He's the undisputed medal king

 

 

 

Every individual medal count from now until the infathomable future will be topped by Michael Phelps. He has 23 gold medals, more than 2.5 the times of any other athlete in Olympic history (Bolt, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz, Larisa Latynina and Paavo Nurmi). His 28 total medals have him clear of Latynina (second on the list) by 10. Nobody else is within a dozen.

 

 

The longevity

 

 

Phelps made the Olympics at 15 years old - becoming the youngest U.S. swimmer in 68 years - and finished 5th in the 200 fly. Less celebrated was Bolt's Olympic debut, made when he was 18 at the Athens Olympics. Unheralded and, unlike Phelps, without an expectation of future greatness, Bolt ran the the 200m and finished 5th in his heat and ended up in a tie for 40th.

 

(Getty Images)

 

Phelps also became the first swimmer and just the third athlete in history to win an event at four straight Olympics (the 200 IM in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016). Carl Lewis an Al Oerter had done so before in the long jump and discus, respectively. He swam at five Summer Games overall, compared to four cycles for Bolt (16 years to 12).

 

 

The records

 

 

The Marylander retires with three individual world records and three relay gold records, including a 200 fly record that seems untouchable in the near future. He broke dozens of other records in his career and in events like the 200 fly and 400 IM, he's responsible for a majority of the fastest races ever swum.

 

(Getty Images)

 

Comparing to Bolt

 

 

As mentioned before, Bolt has nine golds in track, a feat that's been accomplished twice before, by Lewis and Nurmi. His three track medals per Olympics is a great feat but one that's been accomplished more than a dozen times by other athletes (not the three golds part). All those triple winners are tied for third though, as Lewis and Jesse Owens once won four gold medals in a single Olympic track competition (they added long jump to Bolt's program). Meanwhile, Phelps has the most medals won in the pool in a single Olympics, in two Olympics and a career.

 

(Getty Images)

 

The case for Usain Bolt

 

 

The world's fastest man

 

 

No man had ever won the 100m at two straight non-boycotted Olympics until Usain Bolt. Then he went and won three. No man had ever won the 200m at two straight Olympics of any kind. Then he went and won three. No one has ever dominated sprinting like Bolt.

 

 

Records that will stand for decades

 

 

Nobody in Rio came within three-tenths of Bolt's 9.58 in the 100. His 200 record - 19.19 - was 0.83 better than any other competitor not named Usain. In a world in which track records can last for decades - the 200m went Tommie Smith (1968) to Pietro Mennea (1979) to Michael Johnson (1996) to Usian Bolt (2008). Starting in 2018 it'll have been 50 years with four men as the world-record holder. Bolt's marks are so unfathomably fast that they could last his lifetime, if not longer.

 

(Getty Images)

 

The undefeated (since 2008)

 

 

Most have forgotten Bolt's 2004 disappointment in Athens. Despite what you may hear he's not actually perfect. But since he became Usain Bolt, he was indeed a pristine nine-for-nine. Nine races. Nine golds. Perfection. Throw in that 2004 performance and Bolt is 9 for 10 with medals and golds. Phelps has swum 30 Olympic races. He's won 23 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze - with that fifth place as a 15-year-old and a fourth-place in the 400 IM in London representing his only non-podiums. (Percentage wise, that's advantage Bolt for gold percentage and Phelps for medal percentage.)

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6 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

My vote for Bolt, I think in time Phelps will be busted for using a designer PED that can't be found by current testing methods.

He's retired though isn't he, Could they still check him?

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I think they're both amazing athletes, don't get me wrong. I think Phelps overall medal count isn't as great as some seem to though. Probably the greatest swimmer of all time for sure, but there are so many medals handed out for swimming.  That'd be like giving a gold for the 1st place team in hockey, then giving out medals for most points, most goals, assists and so on.  Just my opinion of course.  

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4 hours ago, smokes said:

He's retired though isn't he, Could they still check him?

His blood samples are kept on file, as the tech gets better at spotting PEDs the samples will be retested so 5 years from now it could be announced someone was juicing at the 2016 oly's.

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1 hour ago, thejazz97 said:

Have Michael Phelps do the 100m running and Bolt do the 100m swimming.

I'd watch that, I'd also like to see just what kind of 100 time Donavan Bailey could put up today. Guy looks like he is still in good shape.

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In swimming the fundamentals are the same, it's you can compete in multiple events, He's a heck of an athlete. But the reality is quality over quantity. 

 

Bolt has the world record in the 100m and 200m . In other words no other human has ever run as fast. And he's won in Running in three Olympics in a row, something that no one else has ever done. 

 

Phelps achievements are great. Bolt to me is legendary. 

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6 hours ago, Warhippy said:

My vote for Bolt, I think in time Phelps will be busted for using a designer PED that can't be found by current testing methods.

Until such time, I'm going to have to say it's a toss up between the two, but if pressed, I would say Phelps.

 

I can't remember where I read it, but apparently Phelps' body is ideal for swimming...big wing span, long upper body with some sort of weird flexibility in his rotator cuffs that us normal humans don't have, and shorter trunk and legs relative to the rest of his body.  Apparently his dimensions are physiologically perfect for swimming.  I'll try to dig up the article.  But your suspicion of some sort of PED use is well founded, seeing how the Yanks are always onto something (e.g., Carl Lewis - albeit unproven, Lance Armstrong, Florence Joyner-Griffiths, etc.)

 

Looking at Bolt, I don't think there is a human being on earth that is built to sprint like him.  Put DeGrasse next to him and you just have to handicap the race in Bolt's favor because of Bolt's physical make up.

 

One thing for sure, both of them took their god-given gifts and made the most of them.  Too bad there wasn't a way to have the two compete with each other for a showdown event.

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1 hour ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

In swimming the fundamentals are the same, it's you can compete in multiple events, He's a heck of an athlete. But the reality is quality over quantity. 

 

Bolt has the world record in the 100m and 200m . In other words no other human has ever run as fast. And he's won in Running in three Olympics in a row, something that no one else has ever done. 

 

Phelps achievements are great. Bolt to me is legendary. 

Phelps has won individual golds in 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters distances in his Olympic career.  So, IMO, that's like winning in sprints and mid-distances.  Whereas Bolt is a sprinter through and through.  So, for me, Bolt is a more specialized athlete whereas Phelps is a more versatile athlete, both in their field of competition; with the clincher going to Phelps because of his ability to dominate both short and mid-length distances (though 400 m individual medley dominance ended in Beijing).

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Both are incredible athletes in their sport, best in the world. But they are different sports, so you can't say who is the better athlete. I dislike Phelps more though. Heck, put them both in the ring and let them duke it out, in a completely different sport. Bolt with a KO.

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I go with Bolt. Because we are bipedal. 

 

For 'Other' considerations I would suggest the triathlete Alistair Brownlee. Back to back gold medals.

He was a monster on that course two days ago. One of the first out of the water, pushed the pace on the bike and then when the run started we basically said 'see ya' to the rest of the field (with the exception of his brother). The guy might not be human.

He is only 28. At 32 he won't be too old to go for a another gold in Tokyo.

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