Soliciting suggestions...

[freifraufischer]

auralan and I have been annoyed at the pronouncements that Michael Phelps is the "greatest olympian ever" and we've been coming up with other candidates for the title. Problem is that we're both Americans

Comments

[lone_pyramid]

Brian Williams (CTV host for the Olympics) has also said that Clara Hughes is the ONLY Olympian EVER to win medals in multiple sports in both the summer and winter Games.

(He and his co-host were discussing the same thing, whether or not "Greatest Olympian" is an accurate title for Phelps.)

[freifraufischer]

Yeah, last night off the top of our heads we could come up with several dozen people we thought deserved the title equally as much. I still think i make an good arguement for Sherley Babakoff, who won 4 silver and 1 gold in swimming in Montreal. We now know it should have been 5 gold and 1 bronze, though the IOC hasn't stripped the medals.

She was one of the few people willing to stand up during that olympics and say that something very wrong was going on and she was roundly mucked as a poor looser and an "ugly American".

[freifraufischer]

So my current list of "greatest olympian candidates" besides Phelps... in no particular order.

Guo Jingjing (China - Diving)
Greg Louganis (USA - Diving)
Clara Hughes (Canada - Cycling, Speed Skating)
Mia Hamm (USA - Soccer)
Yordan Yovchev (Bulgaria - Gymnastics)
Larisa Latynina (USSR - Gymnastics)
Nadia Comăneci (Romania - Gymnastics)
Oksana Chusovitina (Unified Team, Uzbekistan, Germany - Gymnastics)
Steve Redgrave (Great Britain - Rowing)
Ian Millar (Canada - Equestrian)
Kim Rhode (USA - Shooting)
Duke Kahanamoku (USA - Swimming)
Bjørn Dæhlie (Norway - Cross Country)
Katarina Witt (East Germany - Figure Skating)
Shirley Babashoff (USA - Swimming)
Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia - Marathon)
Sohn Kee-chung (Korea - Marathon)
Jessie Owens (USA - Track & Field)
Wilma Rudolph (USA - Track & Field)
Babe Didrikson (USA - Track & Field)
Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean (Great Britain - Figure Skating)

((edited because I forgot Owens, Rudolph and Didrikson))