7 Athletes That Revolutionzied Their Sport
Being an athlete means pushing your body to the limit. Yes, everyone can run, but for you to become an Olympic gold medalist is a feat on its own. While there are countless sports today, each flooded with an array of players and athletes, there are some who’ve gone over and above what anyone thought was humanly possible.
Usain Bolt, one of the most recognized sportsmen today, took years of hard work and persistence to get to where he is. Today, he is regarded as the fastest man on earth.
While all sportsmen and women are remarkable, there are some with abilities that seem to defy nature. These exceptional sportspeople are what this list will look to address.
We asked Pradeep Singh, who works as head of content and sports at casinobetting.live and constantly provides articles for sites lite theguardian to give his input on sportspeople that changed and redefined their sport.
1. Michael Phelps
Also known as the ‘flying fish,’ Michael Phelps is considered to be one of the fastest humans underwater. Throughout his swimming career, he has immersed more medals than some will ever achieve in their lifetimes.
In the Olympics alone, Phelps has won a total of 28 medals. If you think that is impressive, you won’t believe that 28, 23 are gold medals. When asked, some competitors said when competing against him, they were fighting for the second position.
2. Michael Schumacher
It is impossible to talk about Formula One racing and not mention Michael Schumacher. While a skiing accident in 2013 took him away from the game after he suffered a brain injury, Schumacher is still a star in Formula One.
He is the only driver in the history of Formula One to win the World Championships 7 times. Of the seven wins, five of them were back to back.
3. Florence Griffith Joyner
In a world primarily dominated by men, it is always a great relief to see a woman who can not only hold her own but is every bit as capable of defying every obstacle in her path. Florence, better known as Flo Jo, was another great sprinter.
While she passed on at the young age of 38 from an epileptic seizure, her legacy lives on. In 1988, she set the world record in both the 100m and 200m races. To date, her records have never been broken, making her a legend in her own right.
4. Usain Bolt
As mentioned above, Bolt is one of the most recognized sports personalities in the world today. When you saw him on the track, you knew he would not only win the race, but he would always have his signature move. In his home country, Jamaica, they dubbed the move ‘To Di World.’
Usain Bolt has been referred to as the greatest sprinter of all time. He is an 11-time world champion, and in 2008, 2009 and 2016 Olympic Games, he won 9 gold medals, and his fame and accomplishments don’t seem to be slowing any time soon.
5. Eliud Kipchoge
Another athlete that holds a special place in the racing world is Eliud Kipchoge. The Kenyan has been in the athletics field for years, but his popularity rose in 2019. Not content with an already prolific career, Kipchoge sought to do what no man had done before, to complete a Marathon in less than two hours.
The challenge was dubbed ‘Ineos 159’ and true to his ambition, he accomplished this impossible task. The New Yorker even dubbed him the greatest marathoner ever.
6. Serena Williams
Serena is arguably the epitome of dedication, sacrifice, and drive. From growing up a less than ideal background to becoming one of the greatest tennis players in the world.
Serena has had to overcome every challenge that was thrown her way. She has been attacked through the skin of her skin and gender, but she says this only pushes her to be better. Today, she has four Olympic Medals under her name and is one of the most admired sportswomen in the world.
Serena is an inspiration that hard work and dedication can help you scale to the top.
7. Lionel Messi
If you have seen Messi dribble, you know why he’s on the list. He’s completely changed the football scene. He is an all-rounded footballer and one of the most respected players of all time.
As a kid, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, something he never allowed to keep him down. Today, he has not only won numerous trophies for his club, but he’s the only footballer to receive the Ballon D’Or title for a record six times.
Ultimately, it takes something out of the ordinary to get into a sport and change how everyone perceives it. These sportsmen and women have done just that and earned the legend status from the world.
