Being a gymnastics fan, my answer is somewhat jaded by saying Larissa Latynina who won 18 medals out of a maximum 18 from 3 Olympics. I know most people's gymnastic knowledge only goes as far as Olga Korbut or Nadia Comaneci but even they got nowhere near Latynina's record.
2007-07-03 01:13:36 · 13 answers · asked by adam w 2 in Sports ➔ Olympics
This is an ENORMOUS question, considering the number of CHOICES, available, but, for ME, there are FIVE Olympians, whose LEGENDARY performances spring to my mind, at once:-
1. Sir Steven Redgrave - 5 Olympic GOLD medals
2. Jesse Owens - World records in FOUR events at SAME
Games
3. Mark Spitz - 7 Olympic Golds at Munich
4. Daley Thompson - GOLD in DECATHLON
5. Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean - GOLD in ICE DANCE
2007-07-04 07:15:03 · answer #1 · answered by Spike 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He maynot have won 18, but Mark Spitz predicted 7 gold at Munich and won them all.
HOWEVER, let's look past medal output and talk of character, of athletes that you are proud to say they represent your country and names like Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens, Babe Didrickson, Kerri Strug (sp?), Pavo Nurmi, Bob Mathias, the 1980 ice hockey team, and Kip Keino come to mind. Not Latrell Sprewell or Bode Miller.
During the Ancient Games, there was an Olympic Truce, a cessation of all fighting everywhere while the Olympics were in progress. Maybe that should be stressed more than who takes home the most medals
2007-07-03 20:07:49 · answer #2 · answered by actormyk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My choices as being the greatest could be between Sir steve Redgrave, Carl Lewis, Jessie Owens, Emil Zatopek, Lasse Viren and Mark Spitz.
2007-07-05 13:33:52 · answer #3 · answered by scousemouse167 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sir Steve Redgrave 5 olympic golds at Rowing.
2007-07-03 08:29:02 · answer #4 · answered by hellraisersteve 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Has to be Steve Redgrave. Anyone who can win gold at five successive Olympics is by far and away a supreme athlete.
He was the worlds greatest rower for twenty years! Nobody could beat him, even at forty he was beating other competitors in their early twenties.
Now that has to be the greatest ever.
2007-07-03 08:23:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A strong contender has to be Sir Steve Redgrave. 16 years at the top of his sport. A sport in which his competitors were also world class althetes in their own rights. Certainly Britains top Olympian by far
2007-07-03 08:23:13 · answer #6 · answered by nic b 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Carl Lewis is definitely a great Olympian...
Most dominating Olympian was a Russian wrestler in the heavy-weight division...he wrestled for years and I was a monster in Greco Roman wrestling...Alexander Karelin
2007-07-03 08:28:16 · answer #7 · answered by Hoop Junkie 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jessie Owens, Hands Down!!!
2007-07-04 23:54:47 · answer #8 · answered by Hi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eddy the Eagle or Eric the Eel
2007-07-03 08:43:33 · answer #9 · answered by bkk 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eli O'Shaughnessy--pure class!
2007-07-03 08:16:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋