It depends upon category. For example, Michael Jordan can only win a single gold medal in b-ball per Olympic, yet, he's probably the greatest athelete/player of all time (no offense to Chamberlain fans et al). And Eric Heiden, at most, could have won his 5 in speed skating, setting 1 world rec and 5 Olympic ones back in Lake Placid 1980. Likewise, Phelps is a type of Hieden but for the current generation, a best of breed.
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