Both Men Captivated Audiences in the Respective Events.
With the Olympics now complete, we have a ton of stories to tell from it. Two memorable athletes come to mind when I think back during this event: Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. These two people, despite being in different events, had immortalized themselves in Olympic history as two of the (arguably) greatest athletes to have ever competed in the Olympics. With Phelps’ amazing 22 medal count, with 18 gold, 2 silver, and two 2 bronze, and Bolt’s self proclaimed “Fastest man in the world” title- backed up by his Olympic record breaking record of a 9.63 second finish in the men’s 100-meter- we cannot deny that these two are pretty ridiculous beasts in their own sport. But the argument rests in who the best athlete is between the two. I mean, you’re comparing a guy who is the most decorated Olympian EVER versus a speed demon.
It’s a bit hard to really debate is the better of the two. There are already talks about whether or not Phelps IS in fact the BEST Olympian ever, since having the most medals doesn’t necessary mean you’re the best ever. In fact, it’s a bit hard to really judge these two fully at all. Some say that Bolt’s extravagant attitude boasts negative reception to some who don’t necessarily approve of his perceived arrogance. Phelps’ modesty despite his 22-medal count may give him favor, but we’re talking about their athleticism, not their level of modesty. If we take a look at Usain Bolt and his performance in Beijing, you’ll remember that he won three gold and broke three world records for that gold. At the same time, Phelps won 8 gold with 7 world records and 1 Olympic record. Numerically, Phelps has the higher number of achievements, but again, we’re dealing with two different sports. In the end, it comes down to the reader and their own personal biases. Are you a swimming fan or a track and field fan? Since this site is dedicated to the hard working runners out there, we have that sorted out. So the rest relies on preference.
