The greatest Olympian of all time is not Usain Bolt

So, who is the greatest?

On Friday night, Usain Bolt won his ninth Olympic gold medal as he anchored Jamaica to a superb win in the 4x100m relay.

Like every showman who gives juicy quotes, Bolt was also vocal.

"There you go, I am the greatest. I am just relieved. It's happened. I am just happy, proud of myself. It's come true. The pressure is real. I look at it as an accomplishment."

Well done Bolt, when you race, it's electrifying. The fans' pulse races, their blood pressure shoots up and if the human eye blinks more than normal, we have to see race replays!

Usain is Bolt from the blue. Be it 100m, 200m or running the anchor leg in the relay, his pace is blistering.

Also read - Michael Phelps is the greatest athlete of all time, he just tied a 2,000-year-old Olympic record

No denying that. He is a showman. After winning races, he poses in his inimitable style.

Never refuses selfies with fans and loves his golden spikes and the Jamaican flag.

Bolt's declaration that he is the greatest can be debated.

Each sport has its share of rivalries. If you talk tennis, the debate is raging, who is the greatest?

Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic?

Among women, was Steffi Graf better or is Serena Williams the greatest?

In Formula One, we again have "greatest" tags. Living in Brazil for the last 19 days, I can tell you for them, Ayrton Senna was the greatest.

Maybe in Europe, they will say Michael Schumacher is the greatest.

The debate about "being greatest" is in itself the greatest debate. Earlier, debates were through conversations.

Now you have social media, Twitter polls and what not. Yes, Bolt has been outstanding and for sheer pace the way he pushes his body through those stunning motions is hard for the human eye to capture easily.

At the Olympics, there have been many super-performers, many greats.

If Nadia Comaneci is still remembered for her dazzling show and achieving an impossible Perfect 10, her five gold, three silver and two bronze at the Olympics left her with the "greatest" tag.

Nadia never said she is the greatest and was in Rio watching American Simone Biles win four gold medals. That's one gold medal more than Bolt.

In women's swimming, another American set the pool on fire: Katie Ledecky won four gold medals.

She has not said anything about greatness as she knows what Michael Phelps has achieved by winning 23 gold, three silver and two bronze.

How can one forget King Carl Lewis, the superbly gifted track and field star who ran the 100m, 200m, relay and was also a master of the long jump.

His rivalry with Mike Powell in the long jump pit was one of the best topics ever and worth watching, not just at the Olympics but also the world championships.

For sheer numbers and versatility, Phelps will go down in the history of the Olympics as a man who did what was considered impossible.

Bolt had won nine gold medals and Phelps 23, so, how can Bolt call himself the "greatest?"

Talk of hype, Bolt does it so well. We talk of celebrities being a hit with normal people when they interact at a close level.

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Perhaps, if one is to compare Phelps and Bolt, the American will not go around doing crazy gestures and posing for photos.

Bolt is a showman and a good one. He has been a star performer in Beijing, London and Rio with his nine gold medals.

Yet, such is the beauty of sport that you can think of so many more champions who made you laugh and cry, go gaga over their performances.

When the curtain comes down on the Rio Olympics, Bolt will be talked of. He may be around at the closing ceremony as he has said this is his last Olympics.

He loves attention. In sharp contrast, Phelps has flown back home and is enjoying time with his family.

What's common between Phelps and Bolt? Both have competed in their last Olympics.

Does that mean there can be none as dashing as them? Sport can produce new champions across a range of sport.

When Sunil Gavaskar scored 10,000 runs in Test cricket, it was considered superhuman. Look how batsmen are breaking records across all formats.

When it comes to the Olympics, Bolt will be a big chapter.

Champion yes, greatest no. That title will remain with Michael Phelps for quite some time.

(Courtesy of Mail Today.)