Athletics

[JJ]

Few swimmers continue for that long, Phelps is in the discussion for sure - but his unusual longevity combined with swimming providing the opportunity to get the medal count up much more quickly than anywhere else is unusual... he's not a lock, nor is Bolt - there are many many names I guess, too hard to compare imo

 

[Munky]

IMO the difference between Phelps and Bolt is the events they compete in.

100m and 200m sprint are the premier track events for me. In swimming the 100m freestyle (and to a lesser extent the 200m) are the premier events.

Bolt has dominated for a near decade in the 100m with everyone gunning for him and in the Olympics has never looked like losing. FFS he can troll smile at his competitors in a semi.

Phelps has dominated everything but the freestyle events. If a male swimmer won the 100m freestyle (and maybe the 200m) at three straight Olympics where would he rank compared to Phelps?

 

[Valheru]

As good as Bolt was today, he produced the 2nd best run of the day. That South African in the 400 was phenomenal and is one of the few to have a sub 10 100, sub 20 200 and sub 44 400 which even Bolt can't lay claim to, although I'm not sure how much effort Bolt has ever put in to the 400.

 

[magpie4ever]

It's a shame that drugs have made us question everything, but I guess it will always be like that now. I like to think Bolt is clean, but we'll probably never know. I'm normally not one for conspiracy theories but I'd be willing to bet that even if he tested positive they'd find a way to bury it. He's been too important for the sport, if it ever got out that he wasn't clean, that would pretty much be it for athletics as we know it.

Yeah, I agree. A bit like Lewis testing positive twice during his career but it was buried.

 

[magpie4ever]

As good as Bolt was today, he produced the 2nd best run of the day. That South African in the 400 was phenomenal and is one of the few to have a sub 10 100, sub 20 200 and sub 44 400 which even Bolt can't lay claim to, although I'm not sure how much effort Bolt has ever put in to the 400.

Unbloodybelievable, starting from lane 8/9 he had to run against the clock sighting no-one.

 

[shiznit]

I don't know how much effort he's put in for the 100m TBH... Lol

I would like to see him just once run a 100m at his peak fitness in the peak of the season at 100% from start to finish without showing off...

Just to see how fast he can be...

That Bejing 100m final was probably the most awesome sports performance I've ever seen from someone...

The dude was almost running sideways showing off in the last part and he still broke the WR... It was breathtaking stuff...

 

[Clifferd]

I don't know how much effort he's put in for the 100m TBH... Lol

I would like to see him just once run a 100m at his peak fitness in the peak of the season at 100% from start to finish without showing off...

Just to see how fast he can be...

That Bejing 100m final was probably the most awesome sports performance I've ever seen from someone...

The dude was almost running sideways showing off in the last part and he still broke the WR... It was breathtaking stuff...

200 metre final too somewhere I think he slowed down quite a lot with 30 metres to go and smashed the wr, could've broke 19 seconds lol

 

[Shorty]

IMO the difference between Phelps and Bolt is the events they compete in.

100m and 200m sprint are the premier track events for me. In swimming the 100m freestyle (and to a lesser extent the 200m) are the premier events.

Bolt has dominated for a near decade in the 100m with everyone gunning for him and in the Olympics has never looked like losing. FFS he can troll smile at his competitors in a semi.

Phelps has dominated everything but the freestyle events. If a male swimmer won the 100m freestyle (and maybe the 200m) at three straight Olympics where would he rank compared to Phelps?

Well yeah to get an "medal equivalent" to Phelps you'd have to have Bolt run all his pet events, 400m (certainly possible) 800m (physically impossible), 1500m (physically impossible) etc.
And for all those events to have relays.

Swimming has the medley and medley relay events because swimmers are able to be more versatile and therefore there's more opportunities to medal.

But certainly a 3x100m freestyle gold would be lauded highly, to my knowledge its never been done.

 

[Frankus]

I don't rate Phelps as the greatest... He got beat by Thorpe in Athens...

He's still close to the best... But has anyone beaten Bolt??

Bolt has been amazing I would see both on level pegging.

No one has beaten Phelps at the Olympics in the 200IM for 12 years, i.e. 4 games. Phelps has been to 5 games and I believe could win the 200IM at the next Olympics if he so wished.

Anyway, its impossible to compare sports but the fact is Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history.

 

[simmo1]

But certainly a 3x100m freestyle gold would be lauded highly, to my knowledge its never been done.

Dawn Fraser did, and possibly could have won 4 if she wasn't banned.

 

[umina panther]

Dawn Fraser did, and possibly could have won 4 if she wasn't banned.

f**k that racist old piece of shit

 

[Rod]

I don't know how much effort he's put in for the 100m TBH... Lol

I would like to see him just once run a 100m at his peak fitness in the peak of the season at 100% from start to finish without showing off...

Just to see how fast he can be...

Agh I know, as entertaining as it is I wish he'd just go balls to the wall a bit more often. I actually thought a world record was in the offing today because the race was close-ish but again he just pisses around for the last 15 metres haha.

Also does anyone who knows athletics know if he's ever really worked on his starts? Imagine if his reaction time/start was a bit better....

 

[Shorty]

He works hard on it, not as hard as he could but his coach encourages improvements.
But that race, the break between the semis and final was under 2 hours.
Plus his hammy.

Don't think you get someone of his size that will have fantastic starts, hes just too tall.
But I expect he'll pull out something special in the 200.

 

[simmo1]

f**k that racist old piece of shit

Yeah merkin of a human, but a handy swimmer.

 

[Danish]

Phelps did it for 4 Olympics, still the greatest on that alone.

No shame being 2nd to Phelps though, although I hate comparing sports. There are others that are up there too, a couple of gymnasts, Steve Redgrave (rowing), etc.

Phelps competes in a sport that maybe 10-15 countries take seriously. Literally every country on earth can compete in athletics, not just rich western ones.

For phelps to win 9 gold, he only has to swim 2 distances in a couple categories. For bolt to win 9 gold at s single Olympics, he'd need to compete and win at every distance from 100m up to marathon.

Until they start allowing hopping, skipping, and backwards running events for athletics comparing the 2 on medal counts is geniused.


Bolt is easily the best Olympian of all time. His only competition will be Ruddisha after Tokyo, who will likely complete a treble in the 800 and 1500m. Mo Farah could do so as well, but IMO he's likely going to be running marathons by Tokyo instead of the 5 and 10k

 

[Danish]

He works hard on it, not as hard as he could but his coach encourages improvements.
But that race, the break between the semis and final was under 2 hours.
Plus his hammy.

Don't think you get someone of his size that will have fantastic starts, hes just too tall.
But I expect he'll pull out something special in the 200.

He has made it known he really wants to break his 200m record. I reckon he was holding back to have a real crack at that

 

[Valheru]

The whole Bolt vs Phelps thing is an impossible argument due to how many medals are realistically available to each athlete.

I think if Bolt had competed in the 400m and 110m hurdles maybe it would be more clear. I have very little knowledge of athletics but surely Bolt would be a top contender in those events if he applied himself?

 

[Frankus]

Phelps competes in a sport that maybe 10-15 countries take seriously. Literally every country on earth can compete in athletics, not just rich western ones.

For phelps to win 9 gold, he only has to swim 2 distances in a couple categories. For bolt to win 9 gold at s single Olympics, he'd need to compete and win at every distance from 100m up to marathon.

Until they start allowing hopping, skipping, and backwards running events for athletics comparing the 2 on medal counts is geniused.

On your first point - maybe. I would think all of Europe take swimming seriously along with most of South America but yes, more can compete in athletics without the need for infrastructure such as a pool.

ONLY has to swim 2 distances and a couple of categories? He has swum 3 distances and 3 categories at the Olympics and won gold in all of them.

Bolt should just enter the 400m along with the 110 and 400m hurdles then. I mean hurdling is still running running just with a little hop every half dozens strides right?

It is stupid to compare anyway.

EDIT: Val beat me to the hurdle part.

 

[Shorty]

Yes Bolt is technically a 400m caliber sprinter but he hates that distance and prefers the shorter distances.
I don't think you see Bolt applying himself to that distance the same way he has to others because he just doesn't have the passion for it.

He started doing the 100m to get out of the 400m and people said he'd never be able to feature heavily as a 100m sprinter and so it went on from there.

 

[Shorty]

Bruce in his feelings because one of his faves Felix gets beat over the line by a diving Miller lol.