YOUR TOP 5 SPORTSMEN OR WOMEN OF ALL TIME

My top 5 favourite female sportspeople:

Martina Hingis - about the same age as me and winning her first wimbledon at the age of 15 was pretty impressive

Victoria Pendleton very impressive in full swing in the hed to head sprints (whatever they're called) always made it look like the other competitor was giving someone a backy.

Jade Jones - absolute best in the world in her category

Ellen Macathur - incredible competitor

Nicole Cooke - amazing achievements, especially without the backing of as strong team that other top road cyclists have had.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Ron Clark was a bit before my time, but wasn't his medal record nowhere near what you would expect from someone of his talent? I m probably wrong here, but, I don't think he ever he ever won a gold medal did he?

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You are correct Bob, he didn't get a gold medal in a major athletics meet. However, he was such a good looking, graceful athlete to watch, it's easy to see why he had such an appeal. He also broke numerous world records at middle and long distances.

It was the Tokyo Olympics of 1964 that I remember him best, getting beaten by Billy Mills of the USA and Gamoudi of Ethiopia in the 10,000m final.

What I didn't know until I just checked it out was that he was Mayor of the Gold Coast. Sadly he died in 2015 but it's good to know that he's still fondly remembered by athletics fans of a certain age.

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Originally Posted by Rjk

My top 5 favourite female sportspeople:

Martina Hingis - about the same age as me and winning her first wimbledon at the age of 15 was pretty impressive

Victoria Pendleton very impressive in full swing in the hed to head sprints (whatever they're called) always made it look like the other competitor was giving someone a backy.

Jade Jones - absolute best in the world in her category

Ellen Macathur - incredible competitor

Nicole Cooke - amazing achievements, especially without the backing of as strong team that other top road cyclists have had.

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For no other reason other than the fact I took a shine to them, I would have to say my top 5 would be:

Mary Rand
Evonne Goolagong
Margaret Court
Kelly Holmes
Jess Ennis

An honourable mention to Sally Gunnell too but her stint as an athletics interviewer with Roger Black was so dire she fell out of my top 5 !

W

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

For no other reason other than the fact I took a shine to them, I would have to say my top 5 would be:

Mary Rand
Evonne Goolagong
Margaret Court
Kelly Holmes
Jess Ennis

An honourable mention to Sally Gunnell too but her stint as an athletics interviewer with Roger Black was so dire she fell out of my top 5 !

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When I used to play golf a ‘Sally Gunnell’ was a shot that was topped

Not very pretty but runs like fk

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Originally Posted by Stanmore Bluebird

Ibbotson was renowned for having sex with his wife in Finland less than 2 hours before running a sub 4 minute mile - something like 3.59.4 I think.

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Just wondering. Was he already in Finland or did he have to travel there first

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Originally Posted by light up the darkness

When I used to play golf a ‘Sally Gunnell’ was a shot that was topped

Not very pretty but runs like fk

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all this talk of Sally gunnel has reminded me of a women's hurdles race I vividly remember from the mid/late 1990s probably. I think it was somewhere in the UK, and some sponsor or other had handed out circular cushions to a section of the crowd.
during the women's 400 hurdles where gunnell I think was competing with a couple of Americans, someone in the crowd yeeted their cushion and it flew like a frisbee and hit one of the Americans directly in the face as she went round the bend.
of course there followed much po faced criticism of the incident by the commontators, but to the teenage me at the time it was hilarious.
does anyone else have any memories of that? I've searched for the video a couple of times but never found anything, so now I'm starting to think I imagined it.

Surprisingly few mentions to Welsh rugby icons such as Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies or Shane Williams, even though many on here love RU international matches, myself included.

Incidentally, Gerald Davies was my form teacher in Llanrumney High back in the late 60's. He had a ferocious temper if crossed so he was never going to appear in my top 5 !

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

Surprisingly few mentions to Welsh rugby icons such as Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies or Shane Williams, even though many on here love RU international matches, myself included.

Incidentally, Gerald Davies was my form teacher in Llanrumney High back in the late 60's. He had a ferocious temper if crossed so he was never going to appear in my top 5 !

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I did consider Shane Williams. I'm not much of a rugby fan, but he was always excited to watch

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Originally Posted by Rjk

I did consider Shane Williams. I'm not much of a rugby fan, but he was always excited to watch

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My grandson who's 16 worshipped him but if I had to pick my top Welsh rugby player it would have to be Gareth Edwards. A truly great player, recognised as possibly the world's best at the time who elevated Wales to another level for so many years. And he played for Cardiff !

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

My grandson who's 16 worshipped him but if I had to pick my top Welsh rugby player it would have to be Gareth Edwards. A truly great player, recognised as possibly the world's best at the time who elevated Wales to another level for so many years. And he played for Cardiff !

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Played for Cardiff when he felt like, didn’t even accumulate enough games to warrant a club cap apparently. Disgusting that his statue is in central Cardiff and Fred Keenor’s, a true Cardiff born legend isn’t. Elevated Wales to another level??? What level would that be? Playing the tedious home nations bore fest and going tit for tat with France while melting as usual against the All Blacks.

Seb Coe and Steve Ovett . Those halcyon days when they kept on beating the world record for 800K, 1500K and the mile for fun - not to mention their duels in the Olympics.
Bobbie Charlton - proper hero/gentleman
Gary Sobers - all-round all-rounder
Gabrielle Sabatini. Who likes short shorts?

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

For no other reason other than the fact I took a shine to them, I would have to say my top 5 would be:

Mary Rand
Evonne Goolagong
Margaret Court
Kelly Holmes
Jess Ennis

An honourable mention to Sally Gunnell too but her stint as an athletics interviewer with Roger Black was so dire she fell out of my top 5 !

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Margaret Court? Wow. Never expected to see her in a favourites list.😂

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

My grandson who's 16 worshipped him but if I had to pick my top Welsh rugby player it would have to be Gareth Edwards. A truly great player, recognised as possibly the world's best at the time who elevated Wales to another level for so many years. And he played for Cardiff !

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12 years with Cardiff and averaged 16 games a season, we’d be crucifying a City player with that appearance record.

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

Surprisingly few mentions to Welsh rugby icons such as Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies or Shane Williams, even though many on here love RU international matches, myself included.

Incidentally, Gerald Davies was my form teacher in Llanrumney High back in the late 60's. He had a ferocious temper if crossed so he was never going to appear in my top 5 !

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I considered a rugby player as I prefer watching rugby to football, but wouldn't have gone for a Welsh player.

It would have to be Richie McCaw.

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Originally Posted by splott parker

Played for Cardiff when he felt like, didn’t even accumulate enough games to warrant a club cap apparently. Disgusting that his statue is in central Cardiff and Fred Keenor’s, a true Cardiff born legend isn’t. Elevated Wales to another level??? What level would that be? Playing the tedious home nations bore fest and going tit for tat with France while melting as usual against the All Blacks.

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Let me put it in a way you can understand then. Can you imagine Wales achieving what they did in the 60's and 70's without him ?

And if it hadn't been for a deliberate dive out of a line out by an All Black forward in 1978, Wales would have beaten them, so no meltdown there.

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Originally Posted by Hilts

Margaret Court? Wow. Never expected to see her in a favourites list.😂

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Hey, lay off Mags ! She seemed a nice lady at the time, unlike the brash Americans like Billie-Jean King. They didn't have to look like sex goddesses to appeal to a young lad you know !

Pele - Simply the best
Cassius Clay (before he became Ali) -Lightning quick for a Heavyweight. Even predicted when he would knockout his opponent.
Gareth Edwards - Best rugby player I ever saw - unstoppable 10 metres or so from the try line.
Federer - Most consistent tennis player over a long period
Jack Nicklaus - Ahead of his time almost unbeatable during his career in the majors.

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

Let me put it in a way you can understand then. Can you imagine Wales achieving what they did in the 60's and 70's without him ?

And if it hadn't been for a deliberate dive out of a line out by an All Black forward in 1978, Wales would have beaten them, so no meltdown there.

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Edwards played against the All Blacks four times, losing all four. He wasn’t involved in the 1978 game. Played ten times against France, won four. That 1970s era is looked back on with rose tinted glasses.

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Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

Let me put it in a way you can understand then. Can you imagine Wales achieving what they did in the 60's and 70's without him ?

And if it hadn't been for a deliberate dive out of a line out by an All Black forward in 1978, Wales would have beaten them, so no meltdown there.

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Terry Holmes was the Welsh scrum half that day mind.

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Originally Posted by splott parker

Edwards played against the All Blacks four times, losing all four. He wasn’t involved in the 1978 game. Played ten times against France, won four. That 1970s era is looked back on with rose tinted glasses.

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I agree to an extent, but I'd rate the 71 Lions win in New Zealand as the single most impressive northern hemisphere rugby achievement of the last sixty years and there's no doubt that it would never have happened without a world class nucleus of Welshmen in the test side - JPR Williams, Gerald Davies, Barry John, Gareth Edwards, Mervyn Davies and John Taylor were all realistic candidates for a world XV at that time.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Terry Holmes was the Welsh scrum half that day mind.

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Now there’s an unsung hero, Edwards, great player that he was had the luxury of playing alongside team mates of similar quality whereas Holmes carried a somewhat mediocre side in comparison. He was almost a ninth forward, excellent player whose career was cruelly curtailed through a persistent shoulder injury, gained no doubt through his exertions.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

I agree to an extent, but I'd rate the 71 Lions win in New Zealand as the single most impressive northern hemisphere rugby achievement of the last sixty years and there's no doubt that it would never have happened without a world class nucleus of Welshmen in the test side - JPR Williams, Gerald Davies, Barry John, Gareth Edwards, Mervyn Davies and John Taylor were all realistic candidates for a world XV at that time.

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Mmm, Bob I'm not sure Sir Clive would agree with your first sentence !

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Originally Posted by splott parker

Now there’s an unsung hero, Edwards, great player that he was had the luxury of playing alongside team mates of similar quality whereas Holmes carried a somewhat mediocre side in comparison. He was almost a ninth forward, excellent player whose career was cruelly curtailed through a persistent shoulder injury, gained no doubt through his exertions.

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He’s a builder now. Lives in Pentyrch.

In no particular order:
Severiano Ballesteros
Sugar Ray Leonard
Bjorn Borg
Johan Cruyff
David Campese