Favourite athlete

[robbie mustoe]

Pretty bored at work, not much doing.

Who is your favourite athlete and why? Can be past or current. Keep it to non-league as we are in the Other Sports forum. Mine is constantly changing but I think that I may have recently settled on one which is why I thought this might be an interesting thread. Post who your favourite is and your justification as to why.

 

[Coxy]

Susie O'Neill. Talented, but had to work damn hard to get to the top of the pile on the world stage, and always carried herself with humility. And she stayed at the top for a fair while after getting there, not just a flash in the pan.

 

[Flutterby]

Another demonstration of how the media can manipulate the public perception. I'm not saying Susie O'Neill isn't one of the best all time athletes - she certainly did achieve great things. But trust me on this, she did not have to work as hard to get there most people think and certainly no more than any other swimmer (probably less hard than quite a few).

My favourite all time athlete is Jesse Owens. Black man competing in a time when rampant and overt racism was perfectly acceptable, was quite poor, pretty tough upbringing in terms of his family situation and won at the highest level across a number of events - 100, 200, 400, long jump.

Another fave is Emil Zatopek - one of the greatest distance runners ever. Won gold in 5Km, 10Km and Marathon at the 1952 Olympics (only decided to enter the Marathon at the last minute, pretty much the day before and after he had already done the other races). First athlete to break the 1hr barrier for 20Km and the 29 minute mark for the 10Km.

Also Louise Suavage. Has won gold at Paralympics / World Champs at every distance from 100m through to Marathon, and really is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet (know this from personal experience).

I have a great admiration for most swimmers - seriously getting up that early every single morning to swim up and down seeing nothing but a black line - that's fairly awesome.

Have heaps of others as well. Most of my favourite athletes are not modern day. I admire more the achievements of athletes from the past when it really was all them - no modern technology, sports science, equipment to help them along. Also most had a full-time job as well and weren't able to get time off for training/competitions, so had to take unpaid leave (or quit) - I know there are a number of sports today where athletes are in the same situation as well, but I think it was harder back in the early days.

 

[robbie mustoe]

Keep in mind it is FAVOURITE, not your opinion on who is the best.

 

[Flutterby]

Yeah I know it's favourite - these people are my favourites. But someone's achievements must be taken into account when deciding a favourite

 

[Coxy]

Yeah, up yours Flutterby! :P I was more saying Susie had to work harder than golden children like Thorpe or Lenton who seem to have been blessed with more god given talent than Susie was.

Nothing wrong with that, but I admire Susie a bit more. Hence she's my FAVOURITE.

 

[Flutterby]

And I disagree that she had any less god-given talent than Libby Trickett [icon_razz1 (I agree Thorpe was just a freak). If you want to talk swimmers not having as much god-given talent and having to work bloody hard, you've got to talk Petria Thomas (but she doesn't have the glamour girl looks so isn't really many people's favouirte).

 

[Coxy]

Yeah, and Petria was always trying to beat my Susie, so she can go jump! :P

It's not about her looks though. Petria was Michael De Vere's long lost twin sister, and I think he's quite a handsome bloke.

Therefore, I thought Petria was also quite a handsome bloke :P

 

[Coxy]

Oh, and another thing. If it was all about looks it'd be Amanda Beard for me. Mmm, the things I could do to her :P LOL

 

[Flutterby]

But I will agree with you that Susie O'Niell is also one of the nicest people you could meet. I have met her a couple of times over the years (both at official functions and just around) and nothing seems too much trouble for her.

 

[mick]

Bugger all the famous people, I gotta say my mum.

Ran while heavily pregnant with both myself and my sister, won the Gold Coast Marathon (1989), ran for Australia in India, has done numerous 50km ultra-marathons and, at the age of 50, also did the Comrades 82km ultra in South Africa.

Still running 150km a week at the age of 53 for nothing other than enjoyment & is up at 4am each morning before work to do this!

 

[Flutterby]

That's awesome Mick! She's my fave athlete now too

 

[Guest]

I have plenty of favourite teams but not that many favourite athletes from other sports.

In Australia my favourite at the moment would probably be Andrew Symonds just for the way he can hit a cricket ball - power that is simply incredible.

Overseas I would probably nominate LeBron James. As a long suffering Cavs fan to see the difference he has made to that team and the NBA in general in such a short time and at such a young age is amazing. I just hope that he re-signs in 2 years time when he's off contract!

 

[Bucking Beads]

Jonathon Brown is my favourite athlete. I just love the bloke, absolute machine on the field. PLays with a tremendous amount of courage and is a great role model also.

 

[Kan Huang]

You wouldn't have been able to say that about him a few years back beads! [icon_lol1.

Dwyane Wade for me. Of all the players from the draft class of 2003 in the NBA, he has probably been the most under-rated player with enormous athletic talent. Also his charitable work is great and at the moment holds basketball camps across the USA in the off-season to give children a go that he never got when he was a child! Professionalism written all over him.

 

[Coxy]

I've never considered team sportspeople athletes. Don't know why, just don't.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I've never considered team sportspeople athletes. Don't know why, just don't.

What would you call them then ???

 

[Bucking Beads]

You wouldn't have been able to say that about him a few years back beads! [icon_lol1.

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I agree but it just hows what should happen when a boy grows into a man.. Take note HODGO!!