Who's the greatest? Micheal Phelps or Usain Bolt?

Question

Do you rate Micheal Phelps 8 gold medals or Usain Bolt's 2 gold with a relay to come the greatest achievement?

Answer 1

Usain BOLT!

Answer 2

Bolt easily.

Swimming world records get broken just about every main race meeting.  Swimming is now only become a truly international sport.

Track & Field world records are broken rarely.  They last for years and everybody in every nation has the opportunity to run.

No comparison.

Answer 3

they are in 2 diff sports. but i would have to say michael phelps.

Answer 4

By the time they both retire, Bolt will be regarded as the most superhuman athlete the world has ever seen. Cant really compare a swimmer to a runner, both are equally dominant. Bolt is less likely to be beaten than Phelps, but Phelps has already done it all.

I say currently Phelps is greater.. how can you argue with 8 races, 8 golds and 8 world records in a week?

Answer 5

Michael Phelps!!!

Answer 6

Micheal Phelps is the greatest, compare to Usain Bolt. He has 8 gold medals and world records to go with it and Usain Bolt only has 2 gold medals and one world record. Micheal phepls is greatest olympican at these games.

Answer 7

Micheal Phelps world records and medals speak for themselves.....not to mention Olympic history he made.

Answer 8

Swimming can not be compared to Track & Field,swimming has too many strokes resulting in too many races at the same distance,which makes it easier for a swimmer to win more medals.Phelps may have more gold medals than Bolt,but if he was truly the fastest swimmer on the planet why didn't he attempt to win the 50m & 100m freestyle ?. Usain Bolt's world record breaking performances in both 100m & 200m is greatest domination of the sprint double in the history of the Olympics. Bolt may not match Phelps 8 gold medals,but he doesn't have to because Track & Field unlike swimming  has real athletes not watered down ones like Phelps.

USAIN BOLT #1 ATHELETE of the 2008 Olympics.  

Answer 9

Michael Phelps

Track and Field athletes have 26 events to chose from whereas Swimming athletes only have 16 events to chose from. Therefore the Track and Field athletes actually have more of an opportunity to win 8 gold than swimmers.

The argument that Bolt can 'only run realistically, the 100 m, 200 m, 4 x 100 m, etc' is stating that he's limited to only the sprint running events. You're not going to see the 100 m champion run the hurdles, and the 400 simply states that the 100 m champion is more 'one dimensional' than Michael Phelps is.

Michael Phelps won sprint races (100 fly, 4x100 relay), distance races (400 IM, 200 Fly), mid-distance races (200 Free, 200 Fly, 200 IM) and specialized stroke races (100 Fly, 200 Fly, 200 IM).

Michael Phelps is also a past National champion (from the #1 swim power in the world) in the 100 (holds the American record), 400 Free, 100 Back, and 200 Back (held the World Record).

To be this dominant in a single sport with such varying events is simply remarkable and is unheard of. We will never see a swimmer/athlete such as Michael Phelps again in our lifetime.

It's unfortunate if one cannot appreciate or understand the magnitude of what this athlete did.

Thanks for the question and your opinion on this. I'm sure you'll have much deliberation both for and against your stance.

Enjoy!

Answer 10

Phelps without a doubt. Bolt is an amazing runner, but what Phelps did is epic. Phelps had 17 races, some sprints, some middle distance and some relays. Bolt is exclusively a sprinter. He would need to compete (and set a WR) in the 400m, plus dominate the relays.

So, yes, what Bolt did was phenomenal, but the 100-200 double has been done before (I might even argue the Michael Johnson 200-400 double was more impressive, but nevertheless.). What Phelps did may never be touched again and he did it in various distances, specialties and styles.

Answer 11

It's not about who I like more, it's about who has achieved more, Phelps.

Answer 12

It is hard to say both of them dominate their own sport but for my part i prefer Usain Bolt

Answer 13

I really love Usain Bolt but I would have to say Michael Phelps.  Usain Bolt still has to earn that title.

Answer 14

Two different sports. Both are great in their own sport.

Answer 15

Usain Bolt is a champion. But Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympic champion ever. Nod goes to Phelps.