Letham over there, he tells me I want too much. I want everything. That’s not too much. At least I don’t think so.
I’ve been watching this Jamaican Usain Bolt, fly about the World Championships in Berlin. He’s broken his own world records (from the ’08 Beijing Olympics) in the 100m and 200m sprints, and just took a third gold in the 4x100m relay.
People say he’s the best ever.
Last year everybody was all about Michael Phelps. “He’s the best Olympian ever!” “He’s the best athlete ever!”
And I say really?
I want to know who is the best athlete ever. (side note: I’m not talking team sport athletes. There’s no way to quantify the athleticism of Jordan, Favre, Pele, Russell, Federer, Kobe, A-Rod, Pujols, the list goes on. It can’t, more so, I won’t. Not yet.)
So let’s get to it.
My main measurement is how greatly these athletes have depreciated their event’s record. That seems like the best way to compare how they have affected their sport’s history.
Other things to take into consideration: age; number of championships competed in.
Things considered negligible:
Technical-ness. Swimming is all about techniques, small hand & feet adjustments in stroke. But so are fast-twitch events such as 100m & 200m. The ornate details fade in both sports, as the distance increases.
Equipment. Faster swim suits? Lighter spikes. Faster swimming pool? Faster track. Fully automated timing.
Seriously, down to it:
Usain Bolt (6ft 5 inches, turned 23 yesterday) currently holds two individual world records, the 100m and 200m dashes.
Bolt has also lowered the 100m WR from 9.74 to 9.58, a 1.642 percent change. Usain here, he’s lowered the 100m record more drastically than anyone ever before.
Bolt has lowered the 200m WR from 19.32 to 19.19, a .672 percent change.
What’s wild? Michael Johnson, who previously held the 200m record, and still holds the 400m WR, reduced the 200m WR by over 2%. For Bolt to equal what Johnson did to the 200m, he will have to run 18.93. Shoot.
He ran more faster in a 200 than anyone else has.
Michael Phelps (6ft 3.5inch, 24) currently holds three individual world records (we’re not counting relays, remember), across two disciplines: 100m Butterfly, 200m Butterfly, and the 400m Individual Medley(fly-back-breast-free).
In the 100m fly, Phelps has taken the WR from 51.76 seconds down to 49.82 seconds. This is a 3.748 percent difference.
In the 200m fly, Phelps has taken the WR from 1:55.18 down to 1:51.51. This is a 3.186 percent difference.
In the 400m IM, Phelps has take the WR from 4:11.76 down to 4:03.84. This is a 3.186 percent difference.
Phelps, statistically, has done a lot more. Now there’s a couple things to look into:
1) Swimming records are broken much more frequently. All of the records are from 2008 and 2009, except for the 1500m freestyle, from 2001. The records in track & field span rather smoothly across the last two decades.
2) Competitions.
Phelps has competed in, and dominated two Olympics & three World Championships.
Bolt has competed and dominated one Olympic Games and just finished his first World Championship. Difference: track requires, oh how do I say it, more physical maturity. While Phelps was raking in golds at 18, Bolt won a number of titles in his youth, including being the youngest person to win the 200m Junior title, at the age of 15.
The decision?
If they both retired today, Phelps wins. It’s impossible to compare medal counts, because there are so many more swimming events.
So Winn, what do you think Bolt needs to run to set the bar even?
If Usain Bolt breaks 19 seconds in the 200m, and 9.3 in the 100m, he will be the best implement-less, individual athlete, performance and comparatively speaking to have ever walked the earth.
Argue me different.
