Michael Phelps v Usain Bolt?

Question

Who has been the biggest story coming from Beijing 2008? Is it Michael Phelps, with his record breaking 8 golds, or Usain Bolt, who looks to revolutionise the world of sprinting?

Answer 1

Phelps but Bolt will be one of the best once he wins the 4x100 with his Jamaican team mates in a new world record.

(I'm not biased, I'm an Aussie)

Phelps has written Olympic history.

Bolt has broken a record that will not last long.

Answer 2

maybe michael phelps. it's very dfficult to choose, but i guess it is more difficult to win 8 gold medals, break 6 world records and one olympic record than to break a world record in sprinting.

however the pool in the water cube is 0.5m deeper than other olympic pools. the swimmers are able to swim better with reduced friction the the water and with speedo swimsuits. so this means that swimmers are able to swim faster in the water cube than other pools without trying harder.

Answer 3

Phelps by a BIG margin.

Bolt is a non-story. The Jamaican domination in the 100m is interesting though.

How is he going to revolutionize sprinting?  He isn't even close to as charismatic as Michael Johnson was.

In the end, Phelps holds a record that probably won't be broken anytime soon.  His name will be in the books for good.

Bolt will most likely be forgotten by the next Olympics.

(If you didn't want answers, why ask the question?)

Answer 4

Phelps

Answer 5

usain bolt

Answer 6

To be honest you are comparing apples and oranges.

I  think you'll find most of the people who went for a knee-jerk 'Phelps' response are blinded by the number of medals won, know nothing of athletics ('it's just running' what?) , seem to be have a train of thought bound by racial sterotypes ('the only they know how to do'/'genetic advantages' and/or Americans.

In reality they are equally the biggest stories of the Olympics. To measure solely on the number of medals is silly as Phelps has more realistic opportunities to obtain medals (how many swimming medals are available for 200m as opposed to 200m on the track?).

Secondly if the 50m freestyle had existed in 1972 it is more than likely that Spitz would have competed and won giving him 8.

Managing to pack out a 91,000 capacity metre stadium is no mean feat and managing to have time to showboat during the 100m sprint is the sign of a superior track artist.

In reality Phelps is the greatest in the water and has achieved something incredible  not done before. Bolt is the greatest in land and has achieved something not done before (double gold AND double records).

If you take the sum of all, charisma, talent, acheivement, personality, personas, ability to generate interest, show-stopping finishes (Michael's 7th race was incredible) and the spectacle they present, it is clearly an even split as most sport pundits will readily agree. Both are the biggest stories of the 2008 Olympics, at least outside of the USA.

Answer 7

Bolt.

becuase track and field is just so much harder and so much more all or nothing than swimming.

Answer 8

fungus, without a doubt.

Go fungus!

Answer 9

Michael Phelps!!!

Answer 10

Has to be Bolt.  You just can't look at the number of medals won to judge the two athletes.  Swimmers have by far the greatest opportunity to bag multiple medals!  So many athletes compete for only 1 medal does this mean that they can never become the greatest Olympian?

When people talk about Phelps being the greatest they always mention the number of medals, when others talk about Bolt being the greatest they talk about the manner of his wins.

Don't get me wrong, Phelps is by far the nicer guy, more respectful, humble and more intelligent.  But on an individual basis not one of his wins was more astonishing than either of Bolts wins.  

Answer 11

what is the question?

who has the best doping?

http://hellas-fos.blogspot.com/

Answer 12

Phelps has just won 8 Gold Medals, and most think it's never going to happen again. You are comparing this once-in-a-lifetime event with a guy who comes in, wins a couple of medals and shows attitude in a sport where they have gentic advantages..

Answer 13

USAIN BOLTS ALL THE WAY, DONT GET ME WRONG MICHEAL PHELPS IS AMAZING, NO QUESTION BUT USAIN BOLTS IS NOT JUST AN AMAZING SPRINTER BUT HES A CHARACTER TO THAT MAKES HIS STORY BIGGER, I MEAN HAVE YOU SEEN HIS DANCES ? LOL  

Answer 14

micheal phelps

Answer 15

what kind of question is this, obviosly michael phelps, any ****** can run 100m, thats the only thing they know how to do (and hurdles), and the dancing is just typical

Answer 16

Well now after the 200s I most certainly will say Usain Bolt. There was something about the slaughtering of the world records in the swimming that made me feel like there are new technical things (and circumstantial like the pook being deeper) that kind of takes away some of the glory from Phelps. And also you can compete in so many more events as a swimmer (do the swimming competitions ever stop?). As such, there is no doubt for me that Bolt's achievement beats Phelp's, although we are comparing titans here!

Answer 17

Usain Bolt, Have you ever seen an athlete surrounded by world class athletes so far in front that he starts waving his hands around 20 metres before the finish line for a race that goes for less than 10 seconds, and just as an afterthought shatters the world record. The guy could have run close to 9.50 seconds that is ridiculous.

As great as Phelps is, he does have more time to win his races. His shortest race goes for the best part of a minute.

Answer 18

I think there is more attention on Phelps because of the expectations people had of him, and the fact he has met those expectations. The thing about Bolt is that although everyone knew he'd do well, they didn't talk about him prior to the olympics in the way they did Phelps. I think that the amazing thing about Bolt is how casually he races, it looks like he's going for a jog and usually he actually does jog for the last 10m! Overall, I think Bolt's story will be bigger right now, both will be talked about for many years, but Phelps will be a legend for generations. (oh and btw, I'm British)

Answer 19

Phelps is a bigger story having become the most successful Olympian of all time.