Since 2000, the athletics world has seen some of the greatest athletes emerge across various sports, dominating their fields and making a name that everyone would remember. From Michael Phelps to Patrick Mahomes, these icons may have peaked, been actively achieving accolades, or retired. But ESPN decided to commemorate 100 of them to see who made their name big in the 21st century.
Amongst several other names that have had poignant moments in the history of sports, Phelps shone brightly at the 1st position alongside his fellow legendary swimmer, Katie Ledecky at 15th, and gymnastics GOAT, Simone Biles at 7th. The three have previously participated in the same Olympics and while Phelps has taken a backseat now, the two women are still going strong.
Both Ledecky and Biles are currently heading to the Paris Olympics, with surprisingly the same energy and skill set that once showered them with medals before. The swimming champion is also the captain of the official USA Swimming team, making her role this year significant.
Meanwhile, Biles received a warm welcome from the gymnastics world after a terrifying year at the Tokyo Olympics, where she pulled out at the last moment due to Twisties. Heading towards Paris this year, she hopes for a well-deserved redemption. ESPN quoted:
“In her third Olympics in Paris, Biles can become the first gymnast to win all-around gold in nonconsecutive Olympics.”
Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, with 23 Olympic gold medals across his career. Ledecky, on the other hand, is the most decorated female swimmer of all time, with seven Olympic golds to her name. Unlike her fellow swimming icon, however, she’s aiming for more this year, and just getting started.
“Since first breaking the world record in the 1,500 free in 2013, she has shaved 16 seconds off her time while also winning more Olympic and world championship gold than any woman in history.”
All three champions have witnessed each other’s peak moments on the field up close and cheered for each other across various domains. Particularly, when Biles chose to walk away from the Tokyo Olympics, she found unexpected support from both the swimming legends who stood by her stance.
How Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps supported Simone Biles’ decision in 2021
After Biles made the difficult decision of pulling out of the Olympics, it sparked a conversation among some of the top-ranking Olympians. The chance to represent the country internationally came with the price of having to bear the pressure of the world.
Phelps, who also bore the “weight of the gold” once, understood and empathized with Biles’ situation. He talked in an interview about how it broke his heart to see the GOAT succumb to the pressure. And while the incident in itself was shocking, he knew an athlete’s mental health was a big conversation that needed attention at that point.
Similarly, Ledecky credited Biles for being the torchbearer for other athletes who often suffer under all this pressure. They were humans too, and deserved less scrutiny for situations they had no control over. The three athletes seem to have stuck together through highs and lows and understand what it feels like to bear the weight of being on top.
