Top Five Sportsmen/Women of all time?

[StuAff]

So many....but...(in no order of preference)
Bradman
Merckx
Fangio
Pele
Laver

 

[The Jogger]

Giacomo Agostini
Ellen Macarthur
Ellie Simmonds
David Weir
Jessica Ennis

 

[Cheshire Celt]

Messi
Joe calzaghe
Sevie Ballesteros
Bjon Borg
Jock stein

 

[blade1889]

In no particular order:

Ali
Daley Thompson
Phil "The Power" Taylor
Sugar Ray Robinson
Don Bradman

And a big shout for Frankel

 

[ASC1951]

Three votes for Beryl Burton?

A British time trialist would be a long way down the list of all time great sportswomen. Vos and Longo are just two from the world of cycling who would be way ahead.

Four!

You have to rank Beryl Burton above Vos and Longo - the number of years she was at the top, the huge gap between her and most men (let alone women) and the fact that she did it all as an amateur while holding down a job in a shop and running a family home. IMO she is Britain's greatest female athlete of the last 75 years.

 

[mark st1]

1. Alan Shearer
2. Eric Cantona
3. David Beckham
4. Joe Calzaghe
5. Micheal Schumacher

 

[biggs682]

a joint effort from me and her in no order

sir steve redgrave
eric carlson !!!!
roger bannister
ali
bobby moore

 

[Hacienda71]

Botham
Marciano
Merckx
Nicklas
Garincha

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Four!

You have to rank Beryl Burton above Vos and Longo - the number of years she was at the top, the huge gap between her and most men (let alone women) and the fact that she did it all as an amateur while holding down a job in a shop and running a family home. IMO she is Britain's greatest female athlete of the last 75 years.

There was not a huge gap between BB and most of the men. She was a decent time trialist by men's standards, but certainly didn't beat those at the top, apart from the instance where she held the 12 record. It must be remembered that in those times the top amateur men rarely if ever rode time trials, they concentrated on road racing.

 

[ayceejay]

In an attempt to broaden the meaning of 'sportsman/woman' which obviously excludes those successful but unsportsmanlike John's Terry and McEnroe types my list:
Stanley Matthews
Bobby Moore
'enry Cooper
Roger Bannister
Ali

 

[threebikesmcginty]

James Hunt
Barry Sheen
John Conteh
Mario Cipollini
Mark Spitz

 

[slowmotion]

I know he wasn't exactly a great "team player" but how about Reinhold Messner?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

ME!!

 

[dellzeqq]

looks like Bradman's top

 

[rikki]

Define "sportsman" or "sportswoman".
Define "great".