Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jackie Joyner-Kersee (born March 3, 1962 in East St. Louis, Illinois) is a retired American athlete, ranked amongst the all-time greatest in heptathlon as well as the long jump. She won three gold, one silver and two bronze Olympic medals.

As of August 2007, Joyner-Kersee holds the world record in heptathlon along with six all time best results and her long jump record of 7.49 m is second on the long jump all time list. In addition to heptathlon and long jump, she was a world class athlete in 100 m hurdles and 200 meters being as of June 2006 in top 60 all time in those events.

Sports Illustrated voted her the greatest female athlete of the 20th century. Jackie Joyner-Kersee's heptathlon series could be viewed as achieved in an era where performance enhancing, and forbidden, drugs were very common. However Joyner-Kersee always has advocated staying drug-free. She consistently has maintained that she has competed throughout her career without performance-enhancing drugs.

Archivement

Olympic games

Los Angeles 1984 - 1 silver

Seoul 1988 - 2 gold

Barcelona 1992 - 1 gold, 1 bronze

Atlanta 1996 - 1 bronze

World Championships

Rome 1987 - 2 gold

Tokyo 1991 - 1 gold

Stuttgart - 1993 - 1 gold

Barry Bonds

Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964 in Riverside, California) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds, the godson of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, and a distant cousin of Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson. He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007. Bonds filed for free agency following the 2007 World Series.

Bonds grew up in San Carlos, California and attended Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, California, California and excelled in baseball, basketball and football. As a freshman, he spent the baseball season on the JV team. The next three years—1980 to 1982—he starred on the varsity team. He batted .467 his senior year, and was honored as a prep All-American. The Giants drafted Bonds in the second round of the 1982 MLB draft as a high school senior, but the Giants and Bonds were unable to agree on contract terms, so Bonds instead decided to attend college.

Bonds attended Arizona State University, where he had a stellar baseball career, hitting .347 with 45 home runs and 175 RBI.In 1984 he batted .360 and stole 30 bases. In 1985 he hit 23 home runs with 66 RBIs and a .368 batting average. He was a Sporting News All-American selection that year. He tied the NCAA record with seven consecutive hits in the College World Series as sophomore and was named to All-Time College World Series Team in 1996.He graduated from Arizona State in 1986 with a degree in criminology.

Bonds currently holds the all-time Major League Baseball home run record with 762, and is also the all-time career leader in both walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688). He holds numerous other records, including the single-season Major League record for home runs (73), set in 2001, and a record seven Most Valuable Player awards.

Awards
* Most Valuable Player (NL): (1990, 1992–1993, 2001–2004)
* Gold Glove (NL): (1990–1994, 1996–1998)
* Silver Slugger (NL): (1990–1994, 1996–1997, 2000–2004)
* Hank Aaron Award (NL): (2001–2002, 2004)
* All-Star (NL): (1990, 1992–1998, 2000–2004, 2007)

Teams
* Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-1992)
* San Francisco Giants (1993-2007)

Carl Lewis

Frederick Carlton ("Carl") Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is a retired American track and field athlete who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 golds, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were golds, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired. He currently lives in Los Angeles and is pursuing an acting career.

Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump events frequently from 1981 to the early 1990s, was named Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News in 1982, 1983 and 1984, and set world records in the 100 m, 4 x 100 m and 4 x 200 m relays. His 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years is one of the sport’s longest undefeated streaks.

His lifetime accomplishments have led to numerous accolades, including being voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and being named "Olympian of the Century" by the American sports magazine Sports Illustrated. He also helped transform track and field from its nominal amateur status to its current professional status, thus enabling athletes to have more lucrative and longer-lasting careers.

Achievement

Olympic Games

Gold

1984 - Los Angeles - 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, long jump

1988 - Seoul - 100m, long jump

1992 - Barcelona - 4x100m relay, long jump

1996 - Atlanta - long jump

Silver

1988 - 200m

World Championships

Gold

1983 - Helsinski - 100m, 4x100m relay, long jump

1987 - Rome - 100m, 4x100m relay, long jump

1991 - Tokyo - 100m, 4x100m relay

Silver

1991 - Tokyo - long jump

Bronze

1993 - Stuttgart - 200m

Nadia Comăneci

Nadia Elena Comaneci (born November 12, 1961) is a Romanian gymnast, winner of five Olympic gold medals, and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is one of the best-known gymnasts in the world and, along with Olga Korbut, is credited with popularizing the sport around the world.

Comaneci's first major international success came at the age of 13, when she nearly swept the 1975 European Championships in Skien, Norway, winning the all-around and gold medals on every event but the floor exercise, in which she placed second. She continued to enjoy success in other meets in 1975, winning the all-around at the "Champions All" competition and placing first in the all-around, vault, beam, and bars at the Romanian National Championships. In the Pre-Olympic test event in Montreal, Comaneci won the all-around and the balance beam golds, as well as silvers in the vault, floor, and bars behind accomplished Soviet gymnast Nellie Kim, who would prove to be one of her greatest rivals over the next five years.

At the age of 14, Comaneci became one of the stars of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. During the team portion of the competition, her routine on the uneven bars was scored at a 10.0. It was the first time in modern Olympic gymnastics history that the score had ever been awarded. The scoreboards were not even equipped to display scores of 10.0--so Nadia's perfect marks were reported on the boards as 1.00 instead. Over the course of the Olympics, Comaneci would earn six additional 10s, en route to capturing the all-around, beam and bars titles and a bronze medal on the floor exercise. The Romanian team also placed second in the team competition.

Comaneci was the first Romanian gymnast to win the all-around title at the Olympics. She also holds the record as the youngest Olympic gymnastics all-around champion ever; with the revised age-eligibility requirements in the sport (gymnasts must now turn 16 in the calendar year to compete in the Olympics; in 1976 gymnasts had to be 14 by the first day of the competition, this record will stand indefinitely.

Comaneci received the Olympic Order, the highest award given by the International Olympic Committee, in 1984 and 2004. She is the only person to receive this honor twice, and was also the youngest recipient. She has also been inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Achievement:
Olympic games
- 5 gold medal (1976 - 1980)
- 3 silver medal (1976 - 1980)
- 1 bronze medal (1976)

World Championships
- 2 gold medal (1978 - 1979)
- 2 silver medal (1978)

European Championships
- 9 gold medal (1975 - 1979)
- 1 silver medal (1975)
- 2 bronze medal (1977 - 1979)

Pete Sampras

Peter “Pete” Sampras (born 12 August 1971), is a former World No. 1 tennis player from the United States. During his 15 year career he won a record 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles in 52 appearances.

The young Sampras discovered a tennis racquet in the basement of his home and spent hours hitting balls against the wall. By the age of 11, he had already learned the solid serve-and-volley tactic that would become the hallmark of his game. He was spotted by Dr Peter Fisher, a pediatrician and tennis enthusiast, who became his mentor for much of his career, overseeing his training and arranging coaches. Fisher was instrumental in converting Sampras's two-handed backhand to a one-handed shot so that Sampras would have a better chance of winning Wimbledon. Fisher was later convicted of child molestation, but Sampras maintained that Fisher’s behaviour towards him was normal and straightforward. Sampras later gave due credit to Fisher for orchestrating his early development as a player.

Sampras turned professional in 1988 at the age of 17. In August 1990, he captured his first Grand Slam title at the US Open. A final with another up-and-coming American player, Andre Agassi. Sampras beat Agassi in straight sets to become the US Open's youngest-ever male singles champion at the age of 19 years and 28 days.

Career titles: 64
Highest ranking: No. 1 (12 April 1993)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open W (1994, 1997)
French Open SF (1996)
Wimbledon W (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
U.S. Open W (1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002)

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher born January 3, in Hürth Hermülheim, Germany is a former Formula One driver, and seven-time world champion. According to the official Formula One website, he is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen". He is the first German to win the Formula One World championship and is credited with popularising Formula One in Germany. In a 2006 FIA survey, Michael Schumacher was voted the most popular driver among Formula One fans.

After winning two championships with Benetton, Schumacher moved to the Ferrari in 1996 and won five consecutive drivers' titles with them. Schumacher holds many records in Formula One, including most drivers' championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. His driving sometimes created controversy: he was twice involved in collisions that determined the outcome of the world championship, most notably his disqualification from the 1997 championship for causing a collision with Jacques Villeneuve. On September 10, 2006, Schumacher announced his retirement as a driver. Schumacher is currently assisting Scuderia Ferrari CEO Jean Todt for the 2007 Formula One Season.

Off the track, Schumacher is an ambassador for UNESCO and a spokesman for driver safety. He has been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life. He is the older brother of current Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher

Teams
1991 - Jordan
1992 - 1995 = Bennetton
1996 - 2006 = Ferrari

Races 250 7 Championships (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Wins 91:
Podium finishes: 154
Career points: 1,369
Pole positions: 68
Fastest laps: 76
Race victories: 91

Ian Thorpe

Ian James Thorpe (born 13 October 1982 in Sydney, New South Wales) is a former Australian freestyle swimmer. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and in 2001 he became the first person to win six gold medals in one World Championship. In total, Thorpe has won eleven World Championship golds, the second-highest number of any swimmer. Thorpe is the only person to have been named World Swimmer of the Year four times by Swimming World Magazine, and was the Australian swimmer of the year from 1999 to 2003.

His athletic achievements made him one of Australia's most popular athletes, with his philanthropy and clean image earning him further recognition as the Young Australian of the Year in 2000. At the age of 14, he became the youngest male ever to represent Australia, and his victory in the 400 metre freestyle at the 1998 Perth World Championships made him the youngest ever individual male World Champion. After that victory, Thorpe dominated the 400 m freestyle, winning the event at every Olympic, World, Commonwealth and Pan Pacific Swimming Championships until his break after the 2004 Olympics. A side from 13 individual long-course world records, Thorpe anchored the Australian relay teams, numbering the victories in the 4 × 100 m and the 4 × 200 m freestyle relays in Sydney, among his five relay world records. His wins in the 200 m and 400 m and his bronze in the 100 m freestyle in Athens have made him the only person to have won medals in the 100-200-400 combination.

After the Athens Olympics, Thorpe took a year away from swimming, scheduling a return for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. However, he was forced to withdraw due to illness. Subsequent training camps were interrupted, and he announced his retirement in November 2006, citing waning motivation

Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Douglas Gretzky, (born 26 January 1961) in Brantford, Ontario is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently part-owner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Nicknamed "The Great One," Total Hockey: The Official Encyclopedia of the NHL calls Gretzky "the greatest player of all time He is generally regarded as the best player of his era and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters, players, and coaches. He set 40 regular-season records, 15 playoff records, 6 All-Star records, won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, and won 9 MVP awards and 10 scoring titles. He is the only player ever to total over 200 points in a season (a feat that he accomplished four times in his career). In addition, he tallied over 100 points a season for 15 NHL seasons, 13 of them consecutively. He is the only player to have his number, 99, officially retired by the National Hockey League.

He retired from playing in 1999, becoming Executive Director for the Canadian national men's hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics. He also became part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2000 and following the 2004-05 NHL lockout became their head coach.

Former Club
Edmonton Oilers (1979-1988)
Los Angeles Kings (1988-1996)
St. Louis Blues (1996)
New York Rangers (1996-1999)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. on April 16, in New York City, New York, United States) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach. Typically referred to as Lew Alcindor in his younger days, he changed his name when he converted to Islam.

Considered one of the greatest players of all time, the 7ft-2in (2.18 m) Abdul-Jabbar played center for UCLA from 1965–69. Later, he played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks (1969–75) and the Los Angeles Lakers (1975–89), accumulating 38,387 points, the NBA's highest career total. He was famous for his "Skyhook" shot which defenders found virtually impossible to block. His on-court success was superlative, as he won a record six NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, while playing on six NBA championship teams; at UCLA, he played on three NCAA championship teams under coach John Wooden. His high school team won 72 consecutive games and his UCLA teams were an unmatched 88-2.

After a then-record 20 professional seasons in the NBA, Abdul-Jabbar retired from the game in 1989. Following his success as a professional athlete, Abdul-Jabbar has become known as a successful basketball coach, author, and part-time actor.

Former Club
Milwaukee Bucks (1969 – 1975)
Los Angeles Lakers (1975 – 1989)

Edson Arantes do Nascimento

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, (born October 23 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil), best known by his nickname Pelé, is a former Brazilian football (soccer) player, and is regarded by many as one of the greatest footballers of all time. In his native Brazil, Pelé is hailed as a national hero for his accomplishments and contribution to the game. During his career, he became known as "The King of Football" (O Rei do Futebol) or simply "The King Pelé" (O Rei Pelé). He was given the title Footballer of the Century by FIFA and Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee. He is also a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame

Pelé began playing for Santos Futebol Clube at just 15, his national team at 16, and won his first World Cup at 17. Pelé's technique and natural athleticism have been universally praised; he was renowned for his unstoppable dribbling and visionary passing, as well as his pace, powerful shot, and an exceptional heading ability, but above all he was an exceptionally prolific goalscorer.

He is the all-time top scorer in the history of the Brazil national team and is the only footballer ever to win three World Cup titles as a player. His famous number 10 shirt has become traditional among creative attacking midfielders and forwards, and many of the sport's great players have since worn it.

Former Club

Santos FC (1956-1974)

New York Cosmos (1975-1977)