Which was more impressive?

[RedinSweden]

Which was the more impressive performance of the two biggies in this Olympics?

 

Show your workings.

[Spy Bee]

Usain > Michael

[Flying Pig]

In a strange way I became bored of Phelps because it became 'normal'. Bolt was more exciting/impressive for me. But what about Chris Hoy, his finishes were like steam train?

[DJLJ]

Phelps by far, 8 gold and 7 WR's. Beating Spitz even.

[wiiksie]

Usain > Michael

Check.

 

2 Golds and 2 WR's for 100m and 200m is a massive achievement.

 

Close call between the two though, but it seems to be easier for swimmers to collect a bag full of medals, rather that the track athletes.

[RJ Fan club]

Phelps should be the one we remember (a'la spitz) in 30 years or so.

 

Although I think Bolts two performances were more spectacular and unexpected.

[Flying Pig]

Phelps should be the one we remember (a'la spitz) in 30 years or so.

 

Although I think Bolts two performances were more spectacular and unexpected.

 

I just hope he's clean! I though Linford Christie was.

[weeman]

For me it has to be Usain Bolt purely because when I saw it i was just stunned and Phelps' achievements were a little more expected but still hugely impressive!

[Mr.SB]

I was a 100m sprinter in a previous life so Bolt for me. I have never seen someone showboating 15m before the end of the race and still break the WR. Unbelievable.

[Sut]

Michael Johnson's attitude to Phelps was that although he recognised it was a great achievement to earn so many golds, everytime somebody gets into the pool there's a new world record.

[DJLJ]

I thought that was mens and womens pole vault with the 2 russians? Granted Bubka is retired now, but anyway.

[ATXRED]

Phelps. 8 Golds will not be repeated anytime soon. Bolts' records will go down before Phelps' record of 8 golds does.

[cochyn]

I was a 100m sprinter in a previous life so Bolt for me. I have never seen someone showboating 15m before the end of the race and still break the WR. Unbelievable.

 

Absolutely. The faces of the three guys who finished behind him were a picture; "Wha'"?

[Mr Piechnik]

Phelps. 8 Golds will not be repeated anytime soon. Bolts' records will go down before Phelps' record of 8 golds does.

 

You might be right, but I can only see Bolts records being beaten by one man in the near future - Usain Bolts.

[Guest The Chimp]

I watched the 200m yesterday (was in a pub in Brisbane so didn't have to listen to any commentators) and could not believe the time. Phelps' is the better achievement but on a personal level it was Bolt's performances that impressed me more - the performances in the sprint double blew me away.

[SoMuch4Gravity]

phelps, for packing away over 12,000 calories a day. that's what we're talking about right, eating?

[Sweeney287]

Whilst I can see why people think that Bolt's was the more impressive, I've voted for Phelps.

 

Not sure people give enough credit to swimmers, just because they can enter more events.

 

The bloke has won 8 gold medals and set 7 world records in the space of a couple of weeks. If that had been done out of the pool and on a track, people would view it differently, which is wrong imo and thus not getting the full credit he deserves.

 

Bolt has the chance to be a showman and grab peoples attention with his antics whilst racing which Phelps can't really do, and that is why people will vote for Bolt over Phelps.

[Ian Sea]

Phelps for me but it was a very close call. I went for Phelps not just because he won 8 gold medals but because he won them in all 4 disciplines of swimming. If he'd won this medals in one or two disciplines then I probably would have voted for Bolt, but I'm amazed that Phelps won using the freestyle, breast stroke, butterfly and back stroke.

 

Not only that but out of his 8 medals, 7 were won setting new world records. It's generally accepted that swimming is easier than athletics (on the body anyway) but still, his achievements are absolutely immense and I doubt they will ever be matched.

[discuit]

Usain easily, the 100m was phenomenal

[KevieG]

Considering virtually every winner and most of the participants of the Olympics 100 metres finals in the last 25 years have been busted for drugs, I say Phelps.

[kop]

Winning both 100m and 200m compared to winning, what was it 5 individual swimming distances, then I have to say Phelps. The manner Bolt won though makes it difficult. The world hasn't seen anything like it before, a sprinter being that superior in a marginal event that the sprint is.

 

They are both great athletes so I really should refuse to vote on this, but RiS is afterall standing behind me with a gun poining at my head, so my vote goes to Phelps. What tips it in his favour is the number of times he had to perform to get there.

[Red Mist]

Bolt of course. Phelps is just swimming ffs, not burning up the track like Bolt did. To break the 2 most prestigious world records in sport is among the greatest achievements possible.

[Ian Sea]

Bolt of course. Phelps is just swimming ffs, not burning up the track like Bolt did. To break the 2 most prestigious world records in sport is among the greatest achievements possible.

 

You can't say Phelps was "just swimming", because in that case Bolt was "just running". Both achievements were amazing.

[Monkeywool]

Gotta love how people make swimming sound easy so it is dismissed as nothing.

 

One guy on 5live last night (who must have been drunk) came on and berated Richard Bacon by saying he is fed up of the media saying we have won so many gold medals in beijing because in his eyes, we only won 1 on the track, the rest don't count.

 

Anyway, even though he has all the charisma of a cheese sandwich - I am going to say Phelps.

[Ronnie]

Phelps for me but it was a very close call. I went for Phelps not just because he won 8 gold medals but because he won them in all 4 disciplines of swimming. If he'd won this medals in one or two disciplines then I probably would have voted for Bolt, but I'm amazed that Phelps won using the freestyle, breast stroke, butterfly and back stroke.

 

Not only that but out of his 8 medals, 7 were won setting new world records. It's generally accepted that swimming is easier than athletics (on the body anyway) but still, his achievements are absolutely immense and I doubt they will ever be matched.

 

Totally agreed with you, mate. And a few of Phelps wins were the relay, which he (somewhat) carried his team-mates. The last event, 4x100m medley relay, after the breast stroke, the US were 3rd. Then jumped Phelps with the butterfly and the US were 1st when the last swimmer jumped.