Olympic record beater not greatest, says Lord Coe
AMERICAN swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian – but probably not the greatest, according to Lord Coe.
Lord Coe courted US fury yesterday after Phelps, 27, won a record 19 medals to be hailed as the greatest athlete in history. He beat Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina’s 18 medals when the US men’s team won the 4x200m freestyle relay.
But Lord Coe said: “It is self-evident that he is the most successful. I am not sure he is the greatest.”
Asked who is, he replied: “I have no idea. I could throw out a whole series of names. Steve Redgrave, domestically Daley Thompson. If I wanted to go back a few generations I think what Jesse Owens did in 1936 was unbelievable, Nadia Comaneci.”
USA Swimming declined to comment.