YOUR TOP 5 SPORTSMEN OR WOMEN OF ALL TIME

[Rjk]

Interesting comment, Whisperer. Kelly Holmes won 2 Olympic golds on the track following many years of injury set backs so I admire her for overcoming her problems. Paula Radcliffe in the marathon ran on a number of occasions quicker than most British international class men can achieve and is also attractive! Kathy Freeman with the weight of all Australia’s hopes on her shoulders on the final day of the Sydney 2000 track events is also to be admired - although she didn’t came across as being too bright when interviewed.

These 3 are exceptions for me though - am not too interested in women’s’ sport and apart from in athletics cannot think of any memorable sports women. Lots more great women athletes from the past though could be considered like Lillian Board, Mary Rand, Liz McColgan, Jess Ennis, etc etc

I barely now any female sportspersons who aren't olymians or tennis players - I tihnk that's probably because they're he only events where the women play their major events at the same time as the men.
Maybe we should combine the mens and womens world cups

[Moodybluebird]

Maybe we should combine the mens and womens world cups[/QUOTE]

Not a bad idea. England's men might have a chance of winning it if they're drawn against the German Ladies team. Well as long as it doesn't go to penalties that is.

[Stanmore Bluebird]

When I was about 9 or 10 I went to the Welsh Games at Maindy on my own. It just wouldn't happen nowadays !

I was in awe of the top athletes and had the privilege to speak to Lillian Board (a terribly sad loss), Mary Rand, who I thought was beautiful and lots of others including Bruce Tulloh, Lynn Davies and Derek Ibbotson. Ibbo put his arms around my shoulders when talking to me and I was completely starstruck. I think Ralph Boston was also there to compete against Lynn Davies in the Long Jump, my favourite event in school. Other than Ralph Boston, I managed to get the other's autographs. Still got them somewhere.

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.

[Moodybluebird]

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.

Now there's a fact you don't read about every day !!

[the other bob wilson]

Now that is an interesting choice ! Ron Clarke was such an elegant 10,000m runner, shame he was Australian lol. For me athletics more than any other sport felt special when I was growing up and it's good to see athletes well represented here. Pity that drug abuse has since ruined the sport.

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?

[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.

[Moodybluebird]

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?

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.

[Moodybluebird]

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.

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 !

[light up the darkness]

W

[light up the darkness]

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 !

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

Not very pretty but runs like fk

[light up the darkness]

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.

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

[Rjk]

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

Not very pretty but runs like fk

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.

[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 !

[Rjk]

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 !

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

[Moodybluebird]

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

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 !

[splott parker]

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 !

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.

[Cyclops]

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?

[Hilts]

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 !

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

[splott parker]

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 !

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

[Harry Paget Flashman]

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 !

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.

[Moodybluebird]

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.

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.

[Moodybluebird]

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

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 !

[ihatealiens2]

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.

[splott parker]

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.

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.

[the other bob wilson]

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.

Terry Holmes was the Welsh scrum half that day mind.