Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump events frequently from 1981 to the early 1990s, was named Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News in 1982, 1983, and 1984, and set world records in the 100 m, 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m relays. His world record in the indoor long jump has stood since 1984 and his 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years is one of the sport’s longest undefeated streaks.
Nine Olympic gold medals, endless records broken and plenty of fans jumping on the Lewis bandwagon.
Pele- Soccer
The quintessential footballer, Pele was essentially perfect in his delivery on the pitch.
After being signed by local club Santos at the tender age of 16, the man born Edson Arantes do Nascimento quickly established his greatness, becoming the top scorer in the Brazilian league in his first season. He would eventually record 589 goals in 605 appearances with the squad.
Grace headlined his game, and goal-scoring topped his legacy. But it was Pele's natural ability to soar down the field by helpless defenders, that truly instigated his reputation as the best ever.
With or without the ball, Pele was unstoppable.
Usain Bolt- Track and Field
The first man to hold both the 100-meter and 200-meter world records, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt truly shocked the world when he began tarnishing his own records.
He replaced a time of 19.30 seconds in the 200-meter with an unprecedented 19.19, and trounced his previous time of 9.68 in the 100-meter with a time of 9.58. At this point, the fastest man ever is simply rewriting his own record books.
Micheal Jordan- NBA
We'll always associate Air Jordan with high-flying posterizations and seizure-provoking last-second drains, but let's not forget what the greatest basketball player of all time did away from the court.
As a 31-year-old rookie with the Double-A Birmingham Barons, the then-recently-retired Jordan hit .202 with 51 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 127 games, as well as .252 in the Arizona Fall League against top prospects, before sprinting back to basketball.
Overall, golf may be his greatest art. He sinks 55-foot chip shots with ease.
Rafer Johnson- Track and Field
Not only did he play under legendary coach John Wooden at UCLA, but Johnson was drafted in the 28th round of the 1959 NFL Draft as a tailback by the Rams. In the end, it was clear Johnson always had his sights set on one goal—Olympic glory.
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