The Greatest Olympian Ever

Yesterday when I was coming home from my dance class, I turned on the radio and I heard sports commentators say the phrase “Greatest Olympian Ever” when they were referring to Michael Phelps. Then when I got home my sister was watching the Olympics on TV and I heard that phrase again describing Michael Phelps.

Phelps is without doubt an extremely talented swimmer – in fact, he has won a gold medal in each of the five events he has competed in so far at the Beijing Olympic Games. Those five victories combined with the six gold medals he won in the last Olympic Games give him the title of “Greatest Olympian Ever”. No other Olympian has ever won more than nine gold medals and Phelps has already won 11 with three events left to compete in!

All this talk about the “Greatest Olympian Ever” got me thinking about what made someone a great athlete. Yes, Phelps is an amazing swimmer and has won an impressive number of medals. But calling someone the “Greatest Olympian Ever” because of the number of Gold medals they won seems a little unfair. What about those athletes who compete in events like soccer and volleyball – they don’t have as many events to compete in, and therefore as many opportunities to win Gold medals, as Phelps did.

What do you think determines if an athlete is great? What is your opinion about Phelps’ major accomplishments and new title of “Greatest Olympian Ever”? Who do you consider to be a great athlete or Olympian and why?