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GOHEAVY.COM Debates Forum
Re: The Greatest Olympian?,
Posted By: Andy Furnas (cpe-65-25-143-8.columbus.res.rr.com)
In Response To: The Greatest Olympian?, (Ron Fernando)
Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2008, @ 4:52 p.m.
I agree that the number of gold medals alone doesn't necessarily determine the greatest Olympian. I heard some broadcasters make the point that Phelps swims all the strokes, and races other specialists. It's technically true that he swims all strokes, since he is in two Individual Medley events. But he's really a Butterfly and Free specialist. The only times he swam the other two strokes was in the IMs. Five of the golds contained Butterfly, and five contained Free (for him). It's still quite amazing to run the table on so many events, when any little thing could cause the unthinkable ... 2nd place!
As far as other remarkable Olympic feats:
- Dan Gable won a wrestling gold without giving up a single point in the tournament. Nowadays defenses are so good that most matches are like watching paint dry, but back then ('72 I think) guys scored points ... well, all the guys except the ones wrestling Gable.
- Bob Mathias won TWO decathlons.
- Al Oerter won the discus in FOUR straight Olympics ...how's that for standing the test of time?
- Carl Lewis won the Long Jump in FOUR Olympics (not to mention a few other medals).
- DT notes Eric Heiden's winning every mens speedskating event, from sprints to distance! Can you imagine Phelps winning the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1500 Frees?? IMO that would be MORE impressive than what he accomplished this year.
- Pavo Nourmi (sp?), Finnish distance runner who won the 10k and marathon in the same games, just a couple days apart.
- I agree that Jim Thorpe probably tops them all.
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