Sporting Greats

Could we keep a thread going for sporting greatness. Olympics is approaching fast so It would be nice if we could keep it going til then and beyond maybe. Short blurb followed by video/pics

I'll start the ball rolling

1. Jonathan Edwards - Triple Jump

This guy is just the dogs bollocks as far as Im concerned. Edwards owns 6 of the top 10 jumps of all time, his world record set in 95 stands strong today. 18 meter jumps are as out of reach today as they ever were, Edwards has at least 4 of them. Edwards broke the Word record 3 times in 95, he also has the longest recorded jump ever at 18.43 although the wind speed was illegal.

Physically he wasnt as strong or as fast as the other jumpers but he managed to outjump them by spending less time on the ground than they did; retaining more speed into the jump phase (his hop and skip was no better or worse than anyone around at the time)

There is an English version of the vid but the picture isnt as good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DIN4Q5yT9M

Linford winning gold was the best memory I have, brilliant win from the old man at 32.

Remember the Cole and Ovett rivalry too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvY0WVLFnpc

I really liked Seb Coe , but Michael Johnson was something else, amazing running style ,
unbeatable in his peak years, my favourite athlete of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FEh7hDpGp0

Bolt would beat Johnson amazingly, but that was an incredible run at the time, never thought it would be beat.

Not at the 400 he wouldnt.

Do any of you remember Alan Well's.

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Originally Posted by Dia bando

Do any of you remember Alan Well's.

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Sure do mate, had no idea he was an Olympic champion mind.

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Originally Posted by Memphis

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Originally Posted by Dia bando

Do any of you remember Alan Well's.

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Sure do mate, had no idea he was an Olympic champion mind.

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Not to sure about that Silver or bronze may be.

That Jonathan Edwards and Linford Clips sent shivers down my spine, but this one (and her 800m victory) are my favourite Olympic moments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PZiOGmakyo

Matt Skelton.

He just won me a nice few quid beating that useless overated Dallas fella.

Jonathan Edwards is definitely an all-time great.

However, in recent years I have a problem with some of these sporting events. How many people have actually ever attempted the triple jump? Compared with running or golf or tennis - sports millions do - the triple jump can only be done by a tiny number. It's basically an athletic sport you do if you're shit at the popular ones.

Literally millions of people play snooker in this world. Is being the triple jump champ really more impressive than being a snooker champ?

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Originally Posted by Dia bando

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Originally Posted by Memphis

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Originally Posted by Dia bando

Do any of you remember Alan Well's.

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Sure do mate, had no idea he was an Olympic champion mind.

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Not to sure about that Silver or bronze may be.

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Alklan Wells won gold in 1980 games, showing my age there :cool:

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Jonathan Edwards is definitely an all-time great.

However, in recent years I have a problem with some of these sporting events. How many people have actually ever attempted the triple jump? Compared with running or golf or tennis - sports millions do - the triple jump can only be done by a tiny number. It's basically an athletic sport you do if you're shit at the popular ones.

Literally millions of people play snooker in this world. Is being the triple jump champ really more impressive than being a snooker champ?

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I think it's pretty much for sure that more people would be able to become good snooker players rather than Tripple Jumpers

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Originally Posted by BIG H

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Jonathan Edwards is definitely an all-time great.

However, in recent years I have a problem with some of these sporting events. How many people have actually ever attempted the triple jump? Compared with running or golf or tennis - sports millions do - the triple jump can only be done by a tiny number. It's basically an athletic sport you do if you're shit at the popular ones.

Literally millions of people play snooker in this world. Is being the triple jump champ really more impressive than being a snooker champ?

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I think it's pretty much for sure that more people would be able to become good snooker players rather than Tripple Jumpers

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Only because less people triple jump.

It doesn't cost anything to do a short run and jump anywhere on earth. Yet only a tiny number participate in the sport.

Is being the best at something nobody does really that impressive?

(As well as being a complete an utter cunt I am drunk as fuck)

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Matt Skelton.

He just won me a nice few quid beating that useless overated Dallas fella.

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:beat: wanka

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Originally Posted by Fenster

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Originally Posted by BIG H

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Jonathan Edwards is definitely an all-time great.

However, in recent years I have a problem with some of these sporting events. How many people have actually ever attempted the triple jump? Compared with running or golf or tennis - sports millions do - the triple jump can only be done by a tiny number. It's basically an athletic sport you do if you're shit at the popular ones.

Literally millions of people play snooker in this world. Is being the triple jump champ really more impressive than being a snooker champ?

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I think it's pretty much for sure that more people would be able to become good snooker players rather than Tripple Jumpers

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Only because less people triple jump.

It doesn't cost anything to do a short run and jump anywhere on earth. Yet only a tiny number participate in the sport.

Is being the best at something nobody does really that impressive?

(As well as being a complete an utter cunt I am drunk as fuck)

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Nope, becuase only a small percentage of people have the physical make up to ever be able to do that, not matter how mcuh they train. It's not just like a long jump, to be able to expolde out of each phase is amazing to me. Bill Werbinik was able to become a world class snooker player. If I played 8 hours a days sicne I was six , Im pretty sure I could become a very good snooker player. I would NEVER be able to be a very good triple jumper

Jonathan Edwards was a pretty fast runner aswell, alot faster than most of the Triple Jumper's i've seen, also his technique was just f****** superb. Also how abou Eric Liddell ? Chariot's Of Fire was what got me into track and field.

Attachment 2340

100 points scored in a single game...
over 10000 chicks banged in his life.

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

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I think we need the ring of fire at the start and also the pit with the salt water crocodiles introduced at the mid way point just to spark this shit up a bit.

Lions would improve the sprints .

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

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Then you will know it is much harder than it looks. If someone could easily excel at the discipline then they would have done it by now.

If Jonathan Edwards is crap how shit does that make Daley Thompson? Ewards is a shit runner and jumper so had to do them together, Thompsons so bad he had to add some throwing events in.

Sergie Bupka, he's shit as well, no one tries pole vault.

If you want to see what happens when Joe Bloggs has a crack at a sport that looks a piece of piss see Eddy Edwards.

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

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It aint all about speed. You try running at full speed and doing the hop phase and see if you can then launch into the 2nd phase without 'clapsing' it takes super human ankle and leg strength - I am 99% certain that almost anybody (able bodied) in the world could theoretically be trained (let's say they had Stepehn Hendrey for 12 hours a day for 10 years training them) to do a 60 or 70 break. You cannot say the same for the Triple jump! Only a very small precentage are predisposed to that type of athletic capability.

Daly Thompson that's a blast from the past.;)

Ed Moses the 400m hurdler was a phenom in his time on the track !

Contentious one here, but one thats been discussed on another thread:

Phil 'The Power' Taylor, greatest darts player ever to address the oche!

If Archery is in the Olympics, then why not darts ?

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Originally Posted by Greenbeanz

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

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Good shout.

She's from neck of the woods too, a great ambassador for sport from the North East.

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Originally Posted by Mattyhitman

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Originally Posted by Greenbeanz

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

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Good shout.

She's from neck of the woods too, a great ambassador for sport from the North East.

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She is. I thought she was Welsh though?

I'm not a Triple Jump expert so I looked it up. This is how two coaches start their articles -

"Triple jump technique is much like the game hop scotch that young children play"
Triple Jump Technique and Training

And

"ANYBODY can triple jump"
How to Triple Jump: 10 steps - wikiHow

An able bodied person could easily make a mediocre pathetic jump, with years of training, just like the snooker player making a 50 break.

Eddie the Eagle is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Check this out - "Edwards first represented Great Britain at the 1987 World Championships, and was ranked 55th in the world and this performance qualified him, as the sole British applicant, for the 1988 Winter Olympics ski jumping competition."

So even though he was utter toilet he was only 54 places behind the WORLDS best ski jumper and competed in the worlds greatest ski jumps competition. Sports nobody do. (;D)

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Originally Posted by Fenster

I'm not a Triple Jump expert so I looked it up. This is how two coaches start their articles -

"Triple jump technique is much like the game hop scotch that young children play"
Triple Jump Technique and Training

And

"ANYBODY can triple jump"
How to Triple Jump: 10 steps - wikiHow

An able bodied person could easily make a mediocre pathetic jump, with years of training, just like the snooker player making a 50 break.

Eddie the Eagle is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Check this out - "Edwards first represented Great Britain at the 1987 World Championships, and was ranked 55th in the world and this performance qualified him, as the sole British applicant, for the 1988 Winter Olympics ski jumping competition."

So even though he was utter toilet he was only 54 places behind the WORLDS best ski jumper and competed in the worlds greatest ski jumps competition. Sports nobody do. (;D)

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Im not sure what the 2 links are designed to prove? I could clock a 100m time just as easly as I could set a distance for triple jump, Im no more Usain Bolt than I am Jonathan Edwards. Just because a skill is basic it doesnt mean becoming a world class peformer in either is easy.

Eddy Edwards was shit, he remained shit and didnt qualify for another Olympics due to them making a radical change to the qualification process, they insisted that you were good at it. If Eddy Edwards strolled onto the slopes and won gold he'd be the perfect man to make your point. Unfortunately the only point Eddy Edwards is good for making is that in an event with 54 registered atheletes becoming the 55th best is a piece of piss.

Jonathan Edwards wasnt the 55th best at what he did, he was and still is he best nearly 20 years later.

I'm not saying Edward's jumps are not special or impressive, to be the greatest in history at anything is beyond awesome.

I just wan't to know how many people in the world actually triple jump? I don't believe few do it, if that's the case, because you need to be superhuman. All athletes from every discipline suffer injuries. Everything is technical, that's why you spend years practising.

So how many triple jumpers compete on the grand prix circuit compared with other events? How many go to athletic clubs to be triple jumpers? How many triple jump competitions are there a year? How many in history have competed at the olympics?

I just assume it's a small number. If not, if the number is actually shitloads, then Edward's achievements are even more impressive than they currently are.

Being the 55th best in the world at anything is impressive... until you realise no one does it.

OK i've now become a triple jump expert. Which has led me to concede.

Considering the triple jump originated in the Ancient Olympics and has been a modern Olympics event since the very start, clearly millions must have attempted it.

Edwards record is phenomenal. Almost as impressive as Ronnies 5 minute max. Fact.

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Originally Posted by Greenbeanz

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Originally Posted by Mattyhitman

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Originally Posted by Greenbeanz

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

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Good shout.

She's from neck of the woods too, a great ambassador for sport from the North East.

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She is. I thought she was Welsh though?

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She is Welsh, but lives up here now, has done for some time, we accept her as one of our own ;)

The IAAF are introducing a Hall Of Fame for Athletics, here are the
Inaugural 12 athletes: Jesse Owens (US), Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia), Paavo Nurmi (Finland), Carl Lewis (US), Emil Zatopek (Czechoslovakia), Al Oerter (US), Adhemar da Silva (Brazil), Ed Moses (US), Fanny Blankers-Koen (Netherlands), Betty Cuthbert (Australia), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (US), Wang Junxia (China)


Carnt believe Roger Bannister is not on the list :mad:

Moses 400 hurdles, legend. :cool:

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Originally Posted by Mattyhitman

The IAAF are introducing a Hall Of Fame for Athletics, here are the
Inaugural 12 athletes: Jesse Owens (US), Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia), Paavo Nurmi (Finland), Carl Lewis (US), Emil Zatopek (Czechoslovakia), Al Oerter (US), Adhemar da Silva (Brazil), Ed Moses (US), Fanny Blankers-Koen (Netherlands), Betty Cuthbert (Australia), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (US), Wang Junxia (China)


Carnt believe Roger Bannister is not on the list :mad:

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Another International conspiracy against the British.

Good thread ......
For me, sporting greatness isn't necessarily about who is the fastest etc person of all time, otherwise there would only ever be one great in every athletics discipline.

It's about someone who was years ahead of their time, or who dominated for a long time, or who captured the zeitgeist of the moment: so how about, in no particular order

Jesse Owens
Emil Zatopek
Herb Elliott
Carl Lewis
Seb Coe and Steve Ovett
Daley Thomson
Michael Johnson
Usain Bolt
Mark Spitz
Micheal Phelps
Nadia Comeneci
Al Oerter

I'm sure there are loads more.

Also, think back over your lifetime and consider how many All Time greats insports you have had the privelege of watching live in the flesh, on TV or being around while their story unfolded in real time,

Jonah Lomu
Roger Federer
Rafa Nadal
Lionel Messi
Ronaldo (the Brazilian, not the Portuguese cunt)
Viv Richards
Bjorn Borg

Depends how old you are, but it's a good game to play in the pub

Cathy Freeman winning 2000 was moving.