The greatest? Bolt v Phelps

Who's the better Olympian – Bolt or Phelps? MORE: https://t.co/NLDbihJXxW pic.twitter.com/VQRMlB3GYT

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 16, 2016

By Ryan de Souza

In the wake of two of the Olympics’ most dominant individual performances, the world is left with one question: is Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian ever?

Jamaican Bolt casually crossed the line for his third consecutive 100m sprint gold medal, while Phelps concluded his final Games by bagging his 23rd gold in the pool. Both men, athletic freaks in their own rights, subsequently made history at Rio.

The enigmatic Bolt became the first man to win the 100-metres three times in-a-row. He is also vying to complete the unprecedented triple-triple by doing the same in the 200-metres and 4×100-metre relay. Bolt is simply the most exceptional athlete the world has witnessed on the track.

Conversely, Phelps is the king of the pool. The most decorated Olympian of all time has amassed 23 gold medals over five Olympics, including a record-breaking eight gold in Beijing. Phelps’ most notable attribute is his mastery of all disciplines, which is exemplified in winning the 200-metre individual medley in the past four Olympics. It’s almost unfair how strong Phelps has been in the pool since Athens.

Now, to the question at hand. Both men conquered their respective disciplines and have done so over multiple Olympic campaigns. They have crushed world records and seen off a succession of challengers. But, they have their differences.

Phelps has won many more gold medals that Bolt, but it’s the competitive weight of these wins that are contentious. There are many more swimming events than there are sprinting, so Bolt’s wins carry more weight. The 100-metre sprint is typically identified as the showpiece Olympic event, and since Bolt came onto the world scene in Beijing, that race has been his. Furthermore, Bolt has never lost the event in a major international meet.

My analysis might favour Bolt, but the fact of the matter is you cannot effectively compare these immortals of sport. It’s like comparing Michael Jordan to Don Bradman to see who the greatest sportsman is.

My tip: leave the debate alone and celebrate the fact that you were able to witness the two greatest Olympians of all time in action.