Usain Bolt is better than Michael Phelps

in Sports by griffn — August 21, 2009 at 9:00 am | 3 comments

Yep, I said it. And I have no statistics or analysis whatsoever to back up that statement. All I know is I have never seen a more athletically impressive human being than Usain Bolt, period. And for all the hype Michael Phelps got during last year’s Beijing Olympics, the iconic performance of those games was Bolt in the 100 meter final, beating his chest as he jogged across the finish line– still breaking the world record. That moment right there was Ali standing over Frazier, Jordan gliding with his tongue out, and Tiger pumping his fist all in one.

I mean, rah, rah, sis boom bah, go America, and all that, but come on. Nobody really cares about the breast stroke. World’s fastest man has been the mountaintop of athletics since the beginning of time. World’s fastest breast stroker sounds like a really talented sex offender. And nobody cares you won gold medals for the 50m, 100m, 150m, 175m and 200m butterfly. If track and field gave out medals every 25 meters for four different running styles plus medleys, Bolt would be putting up crazy numbers too.

Anyway, the point of this post is that Bolt smashed his 200m record yesterday. Smashed it. Watch this video, please. Because unless he somehow gets faster next year, you will never see a human being run this fast again. I said that back in ’92 when Michael Johnson ran his 19.32, but Johnson’s race was flawless from start to finish. Bolt just ran a 19.19 with a merely above average turn and the wind in his face. The last 100 meters, the man simply turns into a horse.

And in case you forgot, here’s the 100m record Bolt set earlier this week, where he made Tyson Gay’s 9.71 look absolutely pedestrian. (The race starts about 5:20 minutes in.)

When Michael Phelps wins one of those 200m races by half a pool length, then come talk to me about Michael Phelps.

UPDATE: This post is also inspired by the fact that every time Michael Phelps does anything, whether it’s placing second in a qualifying heat or crashing his SUV and not having to submit to a Breathalyzer test for some reason, it’s top billing on the local news.  That 100m record Bolt broke this week, it was the dead last thing they covered behind baseball, golf, and some NASCAR press release (not even highlights).  Like it was a hot dog eating contest or something.  I mean, I know part of that is catering to Americans who think the world revolves around us and part of it is no doubt good old-fashioned ‘cism,  but come on.  CTFO.

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Tags: Beijing Berlin Michael Johnson Michael Jordan Michael Phelps Muhammed Ali Olympics swimming Tiger Woods track Tyson Gay Usain Bolt