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Black History Month Special: Top five greatest black athletes of all time
There have been several legendary Black athletes who’ve graced the field of sports and were immensely successful.
The ‘Black History Month’ is celebrated in October every year remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. There have been several legendary Black athletes who’ve graced the field of sports and were immensely successful. As the world commemorates Black History Month, let’s take a look at five black athletes who rose from several years of oppression and made a name for themselves in the world of sports.
1. Usain Bolt:
Usain Bolt (Source: Twitter)
Usain Bolt is one of the greatest sprinters of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay. An eight-time Olympic gold medalist, Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012, and 2016).
2. Sir Viv Richards:
Viv Richards (Source: Twitter)
Viv Richards is considered one of the most explosive batters of all time. The West Indian ripped apart several great bowling attacks during his playing days. He’s one of the greatest batters of all time and has an outstanding record in both Tests and ODIs.
His magnificent strike rate of 90 in ODIs sets him apart from other batters of his era. Richards was a part of a highly successful West Indies team that dominated cricket in both formats for a number of years.
3. Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (Source: Twitter)
Muhammad Ali is regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. Nicknamed “The Greatest”, he is also regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century.
He won his first title as a 22-year-old in 1964 with a shocking upset of Sonny Liston. Then he captured the title again two more times after that, including after a four-year absence when he’d had his title stripped for refusing to volunteer to fight in the Vietnam War.
Ali captivated fans all over the world with his fighting skill and personality after his boxing career ended. Ali, who battled Parkinson’s disease for the last 20-30 years of his life, died in 2016 at 74 years old.
4. Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson (Source: Twitter)
Few athletes in the last 50 years have captured the public’s imagination like “Iron” Mike Tyson. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout and became the youngest heavyweight champion of all time when he won the title by defeating Trevor Berbick in 1986 at just a shade past his 20th birthday.
Tyson’s legacy came undone after he lost the heavyweight title to 42-to-1 underdog Buster Douglas in 1990. Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992 and spent three years of a six-year sentence in prison before he returned to win the heavyweight title in 1996.
5. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton (Source: Twitter)
Lewis Hamilton is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. He jointly holds the record for World Drivers’ Championship titles having seven titles to his name. He has many more records to his name like most wins (103), pole positions (103), and podium finishes (188), among others.
