The nature of sport gives athletes the power to become winners, achievers or in some cases, legends. Number of competitors, required hard work, the ability to handle pressure and the responsibility of representing your nation are just some of the factors that make becoming successful in sport really tough. Thus, the greater someone’s degree of achievement in a sport, the higher they are placed in the annals of history.
While many are successful in sport, there are some who move beyond the usual definitions and create a space that exclusively belongs to them. United States swimmer Michael Phelps, who started competing at the Olympics against others, has now gone on to win a staggering 23 gold medals in total, over the course of four editions of the greatest show on earth.
You might think that there is no other sporting achievment biggeer than this, right? Maybe, maybe not. Let’s take a look at some of the greatest individual achievments in history of sport and where Michael Phelps ranks among them.
#6 Yelena Isinbayeva’s 28 Pole Vault World Records
Most athletes, particularly in individual sports, compete with others in events and competitions but not Russian Pole Vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, whose only rival is herself from the previous time she stepped on to the field. Undoubtedly the greatest pole vaulter of all time and among the best sportspersons ever, Isinbayeva has truly defined her own medium in her sport. Ever since bursting on to the scene in the late 1990s, Isinbayeva has set an unbelievable 28 world records in her sport.
At present, she holds the records at Olympics (5.05m), World Indoor Championships (4.86m), European Indoor Championships (4.90m) and Outdoor (5.06m) among many others. She has won two Olympic gold medals, multiple World Championships and multiple European titles. The best part about Isinbayeva’s dominance is that she has done it unrivalled and competed with only hereself.
#5 Wayne Gretzky’s career points tally of 2857
Debating or deciding who is the greatest player in a particular sport becomes really tough, given the constraints of time, performance, era and other things. However, when it comes to Ice Hockey and the NHL, a certain Wayne Gretzky makes it easier for all of us. The former Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles King legend has been acknowledged by the NHL itself as the greatest player of all time and a mere glance at his records would tell you nothing different.
Without any sort of deviation, here is a little perspective about the magnitude of his record and its level. Gretzky has a total career point tally of 2857 and the second best player on the list is Mark Messier, who has 1887 points and is retired now. This is not the only record he holds by the way. Others include Most Career Goals, Most Career Assists, Most Goals in a Season, Longest point scoring streak and Most 100-point Seasons among others. To think that he has managed all this in a team sport makes Gretzky’s achievement even bigger.
#4 Usain Bolt’s Double-Triple
Successful athletes, during their eras, become the faces of their sports and rightly so. However, there are certain athletes like Usain Bolt, who carry the responsibility of a particular sport on their shoulders and do it in a style like no one else has ever done. The 21st century has seen some horrible things happen in sport, especially related to drugs and performance-enhancing substances, but thank god for the existence of Usain Bolt, who defines purity and greatness.
The only man in history to do the “double-triple” (Olympic gold medals in 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in two consecutive editions) is also the world record holder for the 100m and 200m disciplines. He makes things looks so simple that you shudder to think whether he is human or not. The scariest part? He can go one up by winning three more gold medals in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The world record for 100m is tremendously tough to achieve and sustain but Bolt has done it like taking candy from a child. Maybe he is not human after all.
#3 Michael Phelps’ tally of 23 Olympic gold medals
If you are ever looking for a tale of inspiration, talent, hard work, struggle, determination, work ethic and unprecedented success, all combined in one, do not go beyond Michael Phelps. The United States swimmer, by far, is the greatest in the history of not only his sport but the Olympics as well. A staggering 23 gold medals and 27 overall, Phelps has dominated swimming for more than a decade, whichs is no mean feat.
Starting off at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Phelps has literally wiped away all other names at the top of the swimming tree and made a big house of his own there. Dominating like no one else, Phelps has won gold medals at the 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. During the course of his career, Phelps has shattered, set and sustained many world records, which are not likely to be broken any time soon. Also, you might see him at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and he might add to that tally further.
#2 Sir Donald Bradman‘s Test batting average of 99.94
You would think that sportspersons like Muhammad Ali, Pele, Roger Federer or Michael Jordan would feature on this list and rightly so. However, as great they might be, their avhievements are constantly challenged, unlike Sir Donald Bradman’s batting average in Test matches. Regarded by many as the greatest batsman of all time, Sir Don Bradman has done something that, in all probability, will never be repeated ever in cricket history.
In a career spanning 52 Test matches, Don Bradman scored an unbelievable 29 centuries and 6,996 runs at an average of 99.96. Players like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Allan Border, Vivian Richards and Brian Lara have created their own spaces in batting history but none come close to Sir Don Bradman. Just to give you a small insight into how unbrekable his record is, the next best batting average belongs to England’s Wally Hammond and it is more than 40 runs per match less than Bradman. Only if he has scored that four in the last innings, he would have finished one on this list.
#1 Jahangir Khan’s 555 consecutive victories in squash
Why do sportsmen play sports? To win and excel, right? Yes. Why did Pakistan’s Jahangir Khan play squash? To never let anyone else win a game for over half a decade. The greatest player in the history of his sport, Jahangir Khan has to his name 555 consecutive wins in squash and that record is not going to be broken until the end of time. Records are meant to be broken but records like this are immortal.
From 1981 to 1986, Jahangir Khan defined squash, winning multiple World Open and British Open titles to bring laurels to his country. Achieving total dominance over any sport is a hard task in itself but Khan made it his hobby and others were just spectators. He defined the course of his sport during that time and by doing so, became the Guinness Book World Record holder for the longest winning streak by any player in sports (professional). His achievement is likely to stand the tide of time and beyond.
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