Quote Originally Posted by amat View Post
There is no way Bolt is going to be even close to as decorated as Phelps I'm not arguing that, and I don't buy the freestyle/butterfly stroke either because how many swimmers compete in both? Nearly all of them. How manny runners compete in both sprints and hurdles? I can't recall any and I imagine you would have to go back a bit to find someone who medaled in both. That can't be a valid comparision.

And none of Phelps margin of victories were as completely unprecedented as Bolt's who could have won by more 5 lengths if he chose to.
Well Carl Lewis won Olympic golds in both the 100 meters, 200 meters and Long Jump and then became the only man in history to defend both his 100 meters and Long Jump titles.

I don't really see any difference at all between 100 and 200 meters to be honest, the best sprinter in the world would naturally be world class over both events.

Phelps has won both 100 and 400 meter medals in this tournament plus there's much more of a difference between swimming an extra hundred meters and running it.

Besides am I alone in thinking that running is mostly a matter of genetics, I mean how much skill can there really be in running in a straight line?

At least swimming involves relatively difficult and unnatural techniques to learn, man not being adapted to the water after all.

I don't see any reason why a track and field athlete should find it any tougher to dominate multiple events than a swimmer really.

IF Carl Lewis can win both the 100 meter and 200 meter events plus the Long Jump then why not Bolt?

He hasn't done as much as Phelps, not even close imo, it just happens that the 100 meters is perhaps the most glamourous event and so gets more publicity.