Physical advantages & disadvantages
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Phelps
Phelps’ unique body structure aids him a lot in being an excellent swimmer. His long and narrow torso provides low drag, besides which his 201cm long arms act as propulsive paddles. His shorter legs enhance his speed and his size-14 feet give him the effect of flippers. Thus his physique is naturally suited for such remarkable speeds in water.
Bolt
Bolt’s phenomenal achievements busted the myth that sprints are only suited to stocky athletes. Thick and powerful thighs are the traditional requisites to have good results in sprinting, and Bolt’s lanky frame of 6’5’’ does not allow for a rapid burst of speed at the start.
Despite that, the way he manages to overpower everybody is truly astonishing to watch. Scientists have researched on it and have found that the main reason behind it is ‘’extraordinary large stride length”, as revealed by Prof John Barrow of the Cambridge University.
“He has lots of fast twitch muscle fibres that can respond quickly, which coupled with his vast stride is what gives him such an extraordinary fast time,” said Barrow, as reported by BBC News.
Bolt wins this battle hands down given how he has changed a long-established fact and people’s notion regarding sprinting.
Verdict: Bolt
Personality
There’s a stark contrast in their personalities – one is a picture of steely focus while the other struts across the stadium in his patented laid-back manner. Perhaps personality traits do not add much to their individual greatness, but it has definitely helped in their popularity all over the world.
Phelps and the rigid focus
Phelps likes to remain in his zone as he bolsters his mental strength ahead of crucial races. That is not a secret anymore after pictures of the American’s resolute face, popularized as the ‘death stare’ before his 200m butterfly final at Rio, started doing the rounds. Numerous memes were immediately made on it and for a while, it became a top worldwide trend on Twitter.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Natalie Coughlin of the USA, who has known Phelps since their early days, was not surprised that the legend won the race that night. “We saw that with how enraged he was in the ready room. As soon as that happened, I was like, he’s going to win – there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to win that race,” the 33-year-old told the Daily Mail while talking about his mental toughness.
Bolt – the people’s champion
Bolt is the exact opposite in this regard. He is the ultimate showman, the superstar extraordinaire. When Bolt takes the centre stage, you can’t do anything but watch and gape in awe. He makes it look so effortless, that you cannot believe it is actually real!
The most complete entertainer that there ever was in the sports world, the recently-turned 30-year-old can own any crowd anytime with his nonchalant, easy-going manner. The swagger that he has before and after a race is incomparable.
He can even laugh and smile while running, which was once again evident as he flashed his teeth to the cameramen while dashing to the gold medal during the 100m race in Rio. And after a win if Bolt does not do his trademark ‘To Di World’ celebratory pose, then the fun remains incomplete.
While winning his 200m semi-final at Rio, he and second-placed Andre De Grasse of Canada grinned at each other near the finish line as if that was the coolest thing to do. And all the time, the Jamaican never loses sight of his goal – the gold medal. You are left wondering each time, ‘How does he do it?’
There is probably nothing in this world that Usain Bolt cannot do. His carefree approach undoubtedly makes him a people’s champion and a more attractive personality for anyone to follow.
Verdict: Cannot be quantified
So now the big question: who is greater?
“I am trying to be one of the greatest. Be among Ali and Pele,” Bolt had declared after his 200m victory at the 2016 Games.
Was he right in asserting his supremacy?
Even though records suggest that Phelps and Bolt are both the best in their respective fields, Bolt’s accomplishments can be rated higher based pm the above analysis.
This, in no way, belittles the champion swimmer that Phelps is. It has not been an easy ride for the American, who has had to deal with his parents’ divorce and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at an early age. Post the London Games, it had been an even harder time for him personally, but he bounced back in style from depression, drinking and a well-publicized arrest for drunken-driving.
But for Bolt, the challenges were even bigger. Athletics required a larger-than-life hero who could lift the sport from the doping demon that had devoured it for quite some time. A superstar whose every move would make the viewers remain glued to the screen was desperately needed. Usain Bolt was that answer, the saviour for the entire world of track and field sports.
Today, even a little kid recognizes the Jamaican. And Bolt achieved it through his sheer ambition, determination and an amazingly affable nature that helped him to soar through the popularity charts.
When Bolt emerged, Jamaica was hardly the sprinting superpower that it is now. Former Olympic medallist Merlene Ottey and former world record holder Asafa Powell were the biggest names at that time. But the lanky Jamaican made a revolution of sorts and almost single-handedly put his country on the athletics map.
Where Bolt scores over Phelps is his ability to make use of the limited number of chances that he got compared to the American. Every elite sprinter more or less gets three opportunities at the Games, and Bolt grabbed each one of them to increase his gold tally.
Whereas being a swimmer, Phelps had the good fortune of participating in around 6-8 races per Olympics that automatically multiplied his medal chances. Considering the percentage of wins within their own sport, Bolt is the undisputed winner.
Also, the simple fact that the Jamaican is unbeaten at the Olympics since 2004 automatically tilts the balance in his favour.
Perhaps nobody but Bolt himself says it the best –
“I’ve just proven to the world that you can do it clean, with hard work and determination. I’ve made the sport exciting, made people want to watch the sport. I’ve just put the sport on a different level and put on it a different pedestal.”
What more does one need to call an athlete the ‘greatest’?
