[Other Sport] Lewis Hamilton the greatest living British sportsman?

[London Pompous]

Not for me.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Sport is not done sitting down.

Tell that to Steve Redgrave.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Sport is not done sitting down.

Cycling
Rowing
Kayaking
Horse Riding & Equestrian
Sailing
Bobsleighing

Take sitting down sports out of our Olympic medal achievements, and there isn't a lot left!!

 

[yxee]

Are there any other sport where a British person has dominated for so long? Cycling? But it's not an Olympic year. Has to be him for me.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

I think most people globally would say that Schumacher is one of the greatest sportsman of all time, Hamilton is going to surpass his achievements. So yes he has to be up there.
Agreed that froome, Redgrave, farah are all up there as well. An argument against froome would be the asthma medication, and I doubt that globally many would have heard of Redgrave as rowing is a minor sport, but an outstanding achievement.

Not sure why so many people do not like Hamilton, even if you do not like him you have to admire his achievements.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I know she is not a 'sportsman', but the achievements of Rachel Atherton over the last fifteen years, in one of the toughest sports imaginable, are criminally underestimated. To my mind, you don't have to be in a sport that gets enormous media coverage to be considered the greatest.

I guarantee that the majority of people who read this will not even have heard of her.

She has been utterly dominant in Downhill Mountain Biking for over fifteen years, She even had one season when she won every single World Cup race. To watch her is a nerve jangling experience, and I find it incredible that such a successful British sportswoman has never received the kudos she deserves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhTFVa0h9Rk

 

[Stat Brother]

Mo Farah

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Not for me. He starts every race in a car that is vastly superior to its competitiors. He's obviously a great driver, but he's only really competing against one other car. I suspect that if you took any two of the top 20 drivers and put them in the Mercedes for the season, one or other of them would be world champion.

 

[A1X]

IMHO it has to be Steve Redgrave because he was at the top in one of the most physically demanding sports going for nearly 20 years. I can't think of another British sportsman or sportswoman, as brightly as many have shone, who have performed at the very top of their sport for that length of time.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Are there any other sport where a British person has dominated for so long? Cycling? But it's not an Olympic year. Has to be him for me.

I don't remember a British sports person that has broken all records in the entire history of the sport, especially one that has never had a black person even get in a F1 car before, let alone win 92 Grand Prix, and soon to be 7 world titles. The achievement is simply off the scale. Not all his world titles have been in the best car either, he's always found a way to win.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I know she is not a 'sportsman', but the achievements of Rachel Atherton over the last fifteen years, in one of the toughest sports imaginable, are criminally underestimated. To my mind, you don't have to be in a sport that gets enormous media coverage to be considered the greatest.

I guarantee that the majority of people who read this will not even have heard of her.

She has been utterly dominant in Downhill Mountain Biking for over fifteen years, She even had one season when she won every single World Cup race. To watch her is a nerve jangling experience, and I find it incredible that such a successful British sportswoman has never received the kudos she deserves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhTFVa0h9Rk

Riding downhill on a bike.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Riding downhill on a bike.

 

[Wozza]

Not a massive F1 fan but my son is and we watched the race yesterday. As he crossed the line we both realised we were probably watching something that will never be done again in our lifetimes.

It will probably be done in the next two weeks!

 

[nicko31]

The man is a legend. You get to the position of having the best car and for staying there this long by being better than his peers. Mercedes F1 are no fools, they pay him a fortune for a reason. I believe he has proved he is the best driver of his generation. Greatest living British sportsman....who knows

Certainly up there among the best, maybe too good and too clean to really loved by the British public.

 

[ozzygull]

I know she is not a 'sportsman', but the achievements of Rachel Atherton over the last fifteen years, in one of the toughest sports imaginable, are criminally underestimated. To my mind, you don't have to be in a sport that gets enormous media coverage to be considered the greatest.

I guarantee that the majority of people who read this will not even have heard of her.

She has been utterly dominant in Downhill Mountain Biking for over fifteen years, She even had one season when she won every single World Cup race. To watch her is a nerve jangling experience, and I find it incredible that such a successful British sportswoman has never received the kudos she deserves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhTFVa0h9Rk

I have.I followed her and brother's career, they are amazing and the skill and bravery is incredable. I have no idea why she is not championed in this country

 

[Guinness Boy]

It will probably be done in the next two weeks!

As I was saying, it won't be done by someone else in our lifetimes......

 

[Bold Seagull]

IMHO it has to be Steve Redgrave because he was at the top in one of the most physically demanding sports going for nearly 20 years. I can't think of another British sportsman or sportswoman, as brightly as many have shone, who have performed at the very top of their sport for that length of time.

Redgrave's achievements were across 16 years. Hamilton is 35 and been winning Grand Prix races for 13 years and counting. Just for a bit of context.

 

[Dawn Korus]

I can't see Hamilton being greatest British Sportsman of all time.

For me Redgrave and Calzaghe is worthy of a mention.

However .... a shout out to Charles Burgess Fry ... amazing life

 

[A1X]

Redgrave's achievements were across 16 years. Hamilton is 35 and been winning Grand Prix races for 13 years and counting. Just for a bit of context.

True but this is where the physicality comes into it. I don't deny F1 is an incredibly demanding sport physically, but Hamilton also isn't driving a Grand Prix every day. Redgrave would have had to row virtually every day for those 16 years, and realistically a few years before that.

 

[GT49er]

Totally agree that some sports are so diverse from each another that they just can't be compared, so it's a qujestion which isn't easikly answerable.

As for Botham, he was as deeply flawed as a cricketer, as he was as a person, and don't even bring his Brexit politics into it!

Like you just have ....................

Can't see this heading anywhere except the bear pit.