The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsLongevity:
Assessing the length of one’s dominance is a vital factor in ascertaining the credibility of their success. Both Phelps and Bolt have been at the top of their sport for many years, but who’s dominance spans a longer time period?
The world was first introduced to Usain Bolt at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 where, as a 17-year old, he entered into the 200m. Despite finishing joint 40th, by 2007 Bolt had established himself as the new star of sprinting, on his way to Gold in both sprint disciplines. The following year later, and it was three golds, three world records at Beijing as he took the field by storm in mesmerising fashion. Two Olympics after Beijing, and it is 9 Olympic Golds, 4 World Records, and a legacy as the greatest track sprinter confirmed.
Phelps’ position at the forefront of sport can be traced back even further. A year after making his Olympic debut as a 15-year old in Sydney, Phelps set his first world record in the 200m butterfly (aged 16) and by 2007 he was already the brightest swimming star on earth, having established a tantalising rivalry with established swim stars, Ian Thorpe and Ian Crocker.
The Athens games of 2004 saw a 19 year old Phelps win 6 Golds and 2 Bronze, a feat only bettered by his Beijing tally of 8 Golds, 7 World Records and 1 Olympic Record. London and Rio contributed 9 Golds and 3 silver, and he now bows out of his fifth olympics with an unprecedented Olympic record.
On the face of it, Phelps’ fifth Olympic appearance beats the four of Bolt; and the four competitive meets outweighs the three of Bolt if we discount their rookie meet. However, Phelps has a trump card: he retired for two years after London, and came back to win 5 Golds two years later. As a keen swimmer who has competed at a relatively high level, not only is it exceptionally difficult to maintain such rich form and dominance for over a decade, but to then retire, and then make a successful comeback is even more difficult and impressive if done successfully.
Phelps was 29 when he decided to return to the pool. At that age he was already beyond his typical ‘peak years’ and had no divine right to emulate his previous success. Yet he did it, and in many ways his feats in Rio surpass those of Beijing, and that is testimony to the sheer longevity of Phelps’ longevity, a period of dominance never before seen in sport.
Phelps wins this one.
