Is Michael Phelps the Greatest Olympian of All Time?

by SodaHead Sports Posted 2012/08/05 18:42:58

Related Topics: Sports, Michael Phelps, Swimming, Olympics, Legend

395 votes
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	Yes	247 votes	63%
	No	148 votes	37%

It is hard to believe that at just 27 years of age, American swimmer Michael Phelps is a living legend. Already considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time, Phelps cemented his legacy amongst athletes of every sport in this summer's Olympics. With 22 total medals (the most of any Olympian ever), Phelps may very well be the greatest swimmer and Olympian in history.

Phelps is definitely the most popular swimmer ever, appearing in Subway commercials and other forms of media. He is the "it" guy. But don't let his star power overshadow his athletic greatness. Those 22 medals Phelps owns are more than some countries can lay claim to the last decade. If he were a country, he'd rank in the top 60 in the history of the modern Olympics. When it comes to golds, his 18 medals would place him at No. 36 ahead of Argentina. Phelps owns 39 world records, has been named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of The Year, and that's just scratching the surface.

Phelps is also the only swimmer to win the same individual event in three straight Olympics and he set the record for the most gold medals in an Olympic year with eight in 2008 (breaking Mark Spitz's record that was untouched since 1972). Now at 27, Phelps ends his career, with 22 total medals and six alone from this year's Olympics (four gold, two silver).

What do you think SodaHeads? Is Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian of all time?

Is Michael Phelps the Greatest Olympian of All Tim

+16

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Eyes See Wide North 2012/08/05 21:03:48

Yes

+15
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More polls by SodaHead Sports

Feria~T... to Jalysa ... 2012/08/06 03:51:24

+1
Have you ever played a soccer game? 45 plus minutes of 98% non stop running each half, with people tackling and sometimes throwing elbows into your stomach? and one would have to play at least six games before they can get a single gold metal.

Swimming is terribly hard, but at least for most races, you get the change at a metal.

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Jalysa ... to Feria~T... 2012/08/06 13:05:27

+2
Yeah I've played soccer like in Middle school. But I get what you're saying.

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ALL_BAND_FAN 2012/08/06 02:22:42
twilight fanatic 2012/08/06 02:02:51

Yes

love him sooo much and he's amazing!!!!!!!

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Resp 2012/08/06 01:55:46

Yes

If the number of medals indicates greatness then Phelps has won the most medals of any olympian. Is he the best? Or does he have the most medals? I guess so.

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Lalo619 2012/08/06 01:46:08

Yes

His medals and records dont lie

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Loser lollipop 2012/08/06 01:26:04

Yes

Yes and no, his head isn't all in it. Although the phelps from Beijing is the greatest Olympian of all time. Without that drive from four years ago he's just an average American swimming Olympian

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Jackie G - Poker Playing Pa... 2012/08/06 01:18:56

Yes

Yes he is - and he has the medals to prove it.

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Nate Hubert 2012/08/06 00:29:56 (edited)

Yes

+1
What most people don't understand about swimming is that each race represents a different mental and physical challenge for the swimmer. There are four different strokes in swimming, and distances that range from a quick 50 metre sprint to a 1500 metre test of true endurance; and then there is yet another range of events where one must swim all four of the strokes in one race. Each event is a separate test in its own right. It's not the fact that he has so many medals; it's what each of those medals represents that people miss.

Most swimmers are dominant in one particular stroke or distance; there are some who are good at a few, or a range of distances. But Michael Phelps is not just the greatest swimmer in the 200 freestyle, or the 100 butterfly; in 2008 he was the greatest swimmer in 8 separate events, and over the course of his Olympic career he has performed similarly 14 other times - and that's not even counting all the world-records he holds. Imagine if Usain Bolt wasn't just world-record-setting fast in the 100 and 200 metre events, but also in the 400, 800, at hurdles, and at field events as well. That is the kind of athlete Michael Phelps is. It is a superhuman feat that deserves the recognition it is getting.

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Heisenberg 2012/08/06 00:24:33

No

+1
Don't get me wrong, he is great but he's in a sport that has a lot of opportunities to medal.

I say it's this guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

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Cora 2012/08/06 00:04:11

Yes

Natural Talents!

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Waldorf 2012/08/05 23:59:34

No

+1
I would think it debatable, since swimmers have so many chances (events) to get a medal. There coud be other criteria besides medal count and type of medal. Michael is surely one of the greatest though, considering how many years he stayed in training.

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Kigan 2012/08/05 23:02:19 (edited)

Yes

+1
He's worked very hard and accomplished a great deal.

For now, the title goes to him.

But you never know what the future holds.

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S* 2012/08/05 22:53:47

Yes

if you go by medals, then you have to count him as the greatest.

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DarkChild 2012/08/05 22:44:44

No

+1
No

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shellyBlink182ToMark17 2012/08/05 22:32:25

Yes

i would say yes

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Marcel 2012/08/05 22:31:14

Yes

Yesss! And he's adorable :)

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Osk The Great Guru 2012/08/05 22:27:08

No

+3
Maybe with the most medals, but there are others just as great as him

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Sodahead Founders are Fascists 2012/08/05 22:18:07

No

+2
Too much doping.
Besides, the greatest Olympian is the almighty ZEUS!

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mae 2012/08/05 22:10:22

Yes

Yes. Records are made to be broken, however.

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kgiexec 2012/08/05 22:00:14

No

+3
should have a ? as an option so I could have chosen that. It depends on what you mean by greatest olympian; # of medals, personal character, the example he sets out of the pool, etc. My answer would only be yes if the standard was the medal count alone.

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disclaimer 2012/08/05 21:51:54

No

+3
You can't judge someone's Olympic career based on the medals they win. In other events, you can only win one medal per games. I'll go as far as to say he's the best swimmer.

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beachbum 2012/08/05 21:49:27

No

+3
The greatest swimmer in decades - yes, the winner of the most medals - obviously yes. But the greatest of all time? No - I'd give that honor to Jim Thorpe winning a gold medal in the decathlon (10 events) and the pentathlon (5 events), and was voted the Greatest Athlete of the Twentieth Century.

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Rob Wil... to beachbum 2012/08/05 22:27:57

+1
how about Daley Thompson then?

With four world records, two Olympic gold medals, three Commonwealth titles, and wins in the World and European Championships he must be in the running!

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beachbum to Rob Wil... 2012/08/05 23:02:00

+3
Agree. Jim Thorpe is just the one who always enters my mind first.

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Rob Wil... to beachbum 2012/08/06 08:56:27

+1
I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never heard of him until you mentioned him.

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beachbum to Rob Wil... 2012/08/06 13:47:37

+2
That's ok - he'd certainly be more well known here - not only was he an outstanding athlete, but he was also Native American, so he kind of broke a lot of barriers in sports.

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Rob Wil... to beachbum 2012/08/06 22:22:40

+1
I looked him up on Wikipedia! He certainly seems a fascinating guy and, as you say, must have broken loads of barriers; I'd love to learn more about him.

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Transquesta 2012/08/05 21:48:05

Yes

+1
If the number of medals is any indication, yes.

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john doe to Transqu... 2012/08/05 22:12:13

The number of medals is no indication.

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Transqu... to john doe 2012/08/05 22:48:34

Right. I'm not out of step, the rest of the band is out of step.

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john doe to Transqu... 2012/08/06 16:11:25 (edited)

+1
If other sports had 20 events where you could win gold medals you would change your tune. Phelps is a great swimmer but not the greatest Olympian. Decathlete's are by far the greatest athletes.

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Transqu... to john doe 2012/08/06 18:24:21

+1
Good answer! I see your point.

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john doe to Transqu... 2012/08/06 18:39:33

+1
Thank you trans, it's nice to know there are people out there who don't insult when someone doesnt agree with them.....it was a pleasure

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Transqu... to john doe 2012/08/06 18:50:14

I do not require that everyone be in lockstep agreement with me. I just assay their intelligence by the degree to which they do. ROFL!

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Jack 2012/08/05 21:46:29

No

+3
No, you can't say that. Phelps is an all-time great, but swimmers have far more medals to win than other sportsmen do. Phelps isn't head-and-shoulders above everyone else like Usain Bolt is, or Michael Johnson was. Bolt dominates completely, but he only has 3 medal events to aim at, at most. Every time a swimmer stands out, he wins loads of medals, simply because there are TOO MANY swimming events! Thorpe, Biondi, Gross, Spitz, Weissmuller etc etc.
There should be fewer swimming events.

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Wayne T... to Jack 2012/08/06 15:23:33

+2
I agree totally. If cycling were aloud as many events as swimming then Chris Hoy or Victoria Pendleton would be able to go for 8 golds at a games. I don't know how swimming seems to get away with including well over 40 different events at an olympics. Why do they even have events for strokes that are slower than freestyle. It's like 'we've came up with a way of swimming the same distance slower if we move our arms in a stupid way, let's have a gold medal for it'.

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Jack to Wayne T... 2012/08/10 21:07:59

+1
Haha, that's a good angle! Maybe we should have hopping or running backwards in the 100m next time!

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Heisenberg 2012/08/05 21:30:20

Yes

I'd say that stands to reason now.

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American Nate 2012/08/05 21:29:39

Yes

+1
18 Golds tie the medal record alone!!! 22 total Medals and having 8 for 8 Golds in 2008 is unreal!!

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