greatest athletes by nationality
rcp...@iamerica.net
is a very difficult task. I’ve done plenty research and I’ve tried to be as
objective and thorough as possible. I don’t know enough about some nations
and their athletic history to include them; however, most countries are
included. Write me with any additions, questions and/or comments. I will
release a "greatest female athletes by nation" in December.
NATION ATHLETE (sport) OTHERS CONSIDERED
Albania Pyros Dimas (weightlifting)
Algeria Nourred. Morceli (athletics) Cerdan, El Ouafi, O’Kacha
Argentina Alfredo Di Stefanio (soccer) Maradona, Monzon, Perez, Porta
Armenia Igor-Ter Ovan. (athletics) Emmiyan, Militasian
Australia Don Bradman (cricket) Camp., Elliott, Clarke, Laver, Matthews
Austria Toni Sailer (skiing) Klammer, Sindelar, Maier, Muster
Azerbaijan Nik. Abdullayev (wrestling)
Bahamas Troy Kemp (athletics)
Barbados Garfield Sobers (cricket) Richards, Walcott, Worrell
Belarus Vitali Scherbo (gymnastics) Sidiak
Belgium Eddy Merckx (cycling) Moens, Scherens, I.Van Damme
Bermuda Clarence Hill (boxing)
Brazil Pele (soccer) Friederich, R & H Gracie, Jofre, Santos
Bulgaria Valen. Jordanov (wrestling) Kiran, Markov, Stoichkov, Valchev
Burundi Ven. Niyongabo (athletics)
Cameroon Roger Milla (soccer) Bessali, Suke
Canada Wayne Gretzky (ice hockey) Conacher, Howe, Langford, Lemieux, Orr
Chile Marcelo Rios (tennis) Figueroa
China Yang Yang (table tennis) W. Cheung, Jianhua, Tse-tsung, Xiaoshaog
Columbia Carlos Valderrama (soccer)
Congo Anacet Wamba (boxing)
Croatia Drazen Petrovic (basketball) Ivansevic, Kukoc, Suker
Cuba Javier Sotomayor (athletics) Canseco, Dihigo, Gavilan, Stevenson
Cyprus Garo Yepremian (football)
Czech Rep. Emil Zatopek (athletics) Hasek, Jagr, Lendl, Mikita, Zelezny
Denmark Battling Nielsen (boxing) M. Andersen, Ellegaard, Kipketer, Kops
Djibouti Ahmed Salah (athletics)
Dom. Rep. Juan Marichal (baseball) P. Martinez, Sosa
Ecuador Andres Gomez (tennis) Perez
Egypt Amr Bey (squash) Al-Khatib, El-Touni, Krism
England Daley Thompson (athletics) Coe, Fitzsim., Grace, Matthews, Redgrave
Estonia Juri Tamm (athletics) Salurce, Klunberg, Palusalu
Ethiopia Abebe Bikila (athletics) Gebresilasie
Finland Paavo Nurmi (athletics) Kurri, Nykanien, Thunberg, Viren
Fiji Vijay Singh (golf)
France Jean-Claude Killy (skiing) Cochet, d’Oriola, Morelon, Platini,
Georgia Viktor Saneyev (athletics) Tediaschwili
Germany Franz Beckenbauer (soccer) Becker, Dietr., Harbig, Hingsen, Matthes
Ghana Abebi Pele (soccer) A. Nelson, Quartey
Greece Leonidas (athletics) Gallis, Milo, Tsilchitiros
Guatemala Ted Hendricks (football)
Guinea Cherif Souleymarie (soccer)
Guyana Michael Anthony (boxing)
Haiti Silvio Cator (athletics)
Hawaii Duke Kahanamoku (swimming) Akebono, Kahauala, Kono, Leopoldo
Honduras Steve Van Buren (football)
Hong Kong Bruce Lee (martial arts) Billington, P. Wai Man Chung
Hungary Tamas Darnyi (swimming) Gyarmatti, Kocsis, Nemeth, Papp, Puskas
Iceland Vilh. Einarsson (athletics)
India Dhyan Chand (field hockey) Dev, Gama, Gavaskar, H.Khan, U.Singh
Indonesia Rudy Harton (badminton)
Iran Abdellah Mouched (wrestling) Takhti
Iraq Abdul Wahid Aziz (wrestling)
Ireland George Best (soccer) Coghlan, Dempsey, Flanagan, McBride
Israel Yael Ana Arad (martial arts) Berger, Berkowitz, Henefeld
Italy Alberto Tomba (skiing) Benvenuti, Monti, Nadi, Rossi, Thoeni
Iv. Coast Gabriel Tiacoh (athletics)
Jamaica Donald Quarrie (athletics) C.Davis, Ewing, McKenley, White, Wint
Japan Masahiko Kimura (mart. arts) Chiyonofuji, Kato, Nagashima, Nakano, Oh
Kazahstan Boris Shaklin (gymnastics) Smirnov
Kenya Henry Rono (athletics) Keino, Kiptanui, Komen
Korea Sosai Mas Oyama (mart. arts) Il Kim, Gishi, Bong, Park, Yang-ki
Latvia Janis Lusis (athletics)
Lebanon Zakana Chibab (wrestling)
Liberia George Weah (soccer)
Libya Moh. Trabulsi (weightlifting)
Liechten. Hanni Wenzel (skiing)
Lithuania Arvidas Sabonis (basketball) Budin, Marciulonis
Luxembourg Marc Girardelli (skiing) Frantz
Malaysia Wang Peng Soon (badminton) Choong
Mali Salif Keita (soccer)
Mexico Salvatore Sanchez (boxing) Alvarado, Carbajal, Chavez, Valenzuela
Morocco Said Aouita (athletics) El Guerrouj
Namibia Frank Fredericks (athletics)
Nepal Tenz. Norpeng (mtn climbing)
Netherlan. Johan Cruyff (soccer) Romme, Schenk, Smits, Van Basten
N Zealand Peter Snell (athletics) Hadlee, Hillary, Meads, J.Walker
Nicaragua Dennis Martinez (baseball) Arguello
Niger Issaka Boborg (boxing)
Nigeria Hakeem Olajuwon (basketball) Okoye, Tiger
Norway Bjorn Daehlie (skiing) Ballangrud, Mathisen, Olav Koss, Ruud
Oman Moham. Al-Malky (athletics)
Pakistan Janshar Khan (badminton) Akram, Imran Khan, J.Khan
Panama Roberto Duran (boxing) Blackman, Al Brown, Carew, LaBeach
Paraguay J.C. Romero (soccer) Amarilla
Peru Teofilo Cubillas (soccer) Duarte
Philipp. Pancho Villa (boxing) A.Clark, Elorde
Poland Jasek Wszola (athletics) Baszonowski, Kulej, Lato, Sidlo
Portugal Eusebio (soccer) Cubillas, Lopes
P. Rico Roberto Clemente (baseball) Benitez, Camacho, Cepeda, J.Gonzalez
Qatar Moham. Suleiman (athletics)
Romania Nicu Vlad (weightlifting) Muresan, Nastase, Patzaichin
Russia Aleks. Karelin (wrestling) Andrian., Brumel, Popov, Tretiak, Yashin
Samoa Junior Seau (football) Fatialofa, Tatupu
S. Arabia Majed Abd. Mohammed (soccer)
Scotland Andy Irvine (rugby) W.Anderson, Galloore, Gardiner, Hastings
Senegal Amadou Dia Ba (athletics) B. Siki
Singapore H. Tiang Tan (weightlifting)
Slovakia Michal Martikan (canoeing)
Slovenia Leon Stukelj (gymnastics)
Somalia Abdi Bile (athletics)
S. Africa Gary Player (golf) G. Anderson, Brits, Craven, Els, Gerber
Spain Miguel Indurain (cycling) Ballesteros, Cacho, Zamaro, Zubero
Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya (cricket) D.White
Suriname Anthony Nesty (swimming)
Sweden Bjorn Borg (tennis) A.Borg, Frederiksson, Jernberg, Stenmark
Switzer. Pirmin Zurbriggen (skiing) Gunthor, Miez, Weder
Taiwan C.K. Yang (athletics)
Tanzania Suleiman Nyambui (athletics) Ikangaa
Thailand Sunluck Kamsing (boxing)
Tonga Jonah Lomu (rugby) Wolfgrun
Trinidad Ato Boldon (athletics) Constantine, H.Crawford
Tunisia Mahmoud Gammoudi (athletics) Tarak
Turkey Naim Suleym. (weightlifting)
Uganda John Akii-Bua (athletics) Mugabi
Ukraine Sergei Bubka (athletics) Avilov, Medved, Syedikh
USA Jim Thorpe (athletics/fb) Ali, Brown, Cobb, Jordan, Lewis, Ruth
Uruguay Juan Schiaffino (soccer) Andrade, Ghiggia
Venezuela Serge Blanco (rugby) Aparicio, Galarraga, Rodriguez
Vietnam Dat Nguyen (football)
Virgin Is. Tim Duncan (basketball) Griffith, P.Jackson
Wales Gareth Edwards (rugby) C.Jackson, Meredith, JPR Williams, Wilde
Yemen Naseem Hamed (boxing)
Yugoslavia Vlade Divac (basketball) Bancic, Cosic, Scekic, Topic
Zaire Dikembe Mutombo (basketball)
Zambia Samuel Matete (athletics)
Zimbabwe Nick Price (golf)
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David Mandell
Canada: George Chuvalo,boxing
Ferguson Jenkins, baseball
Ben Johnson oops track
Chile: Arturo Godoy, boxing
Jaime Filol, tennis
Israel, Anna Smashnova tennis
Doron Sheffer basketball
Mexico, Fernando Valenzuela, baseball
Raul Ramirez tennis
Vikas Venkat Pulivarti
to have researched a lot more than I have, so it's up to you if you want
to put him up there.
Vikas Pulivarti
Emory University
Class of 2001
Külli Esko
>Estonia Juri Tamm (athletics) Salurce, Klunberg, Palusalu
At first, there is no athlete called Salurce here - probably you meant
Erika Salumäe who is two times olympic winner in women's treck
sprint. And Klunberg is actually Klumberg.
But in case you would like to list the greatest athletes of Estonia,
I guess Palusalu should maybe be the first one in the list. Or our
current best athlete Erki Nool (dechatlon), but I don't think Jüri
Tamm is the first one in the list - he has quite a lot of good achievements,
but he is definitely not the best of Estonians ever....
Regards,
Külli