Athletes all across the world constantly ask the question, Who is the greatest athlete of all time? There are numerous possible answers, ranging from Simone Biles to LeBron James to Michael Phelps. To find a definitive answer, I went to the hallways of Judge Memorial with Austin Harlan, Tahj Cole, and myself.

By far and away, the most unique answer we received was Pheidippides, which Mr. Dunn provided. Pheidippides was the first marathon runner, according to Mr. Dunn, who reasons that he ran so far and was the first person to do it, saying, “It is commitment to the craft.” I actually don’t think this answer is ridiculous, and it’s very niche, which I can respect. Many people would say Pheidippides was an “elite pull.” 

To no one’s surprise, the most common answer was Lebron James. LeBron James being considered the greatest basketball player of all time (argue with a wall) certainly makes him a strong case. However, he is not the best by far in his sport, which many people could agree is a requirement to be dubbed the “greatest athlete of all time.” 

Another answer, which I loved, came from Vincent Hildebrand, a sophomore at Judge. No, he didn’t pick LeBron, not Alex Morgan, no, not even Usain Bolt; he decided upon Tyler Toney. For those who don’t know, Tyler Toney is a member of the popular YouTube group Dude Perfect, and according to Hildebrand, “he can play any sport and be good in it.” Which, if you’re looking for the best all-around athlete of all time, that is not a terrible way to go about it.

This question will plague the sports community forever; people will never even be able to decide who the best athlete in each sport is. And even though it can be annoying, it remains one of the all-time debates that always makes for a good conversation starter. But if you ask me, I will always believe the most outstanding athlete of all time is Katie Ledecky, if you don’t know her, look her up, and watch one of her races. Once you do that, you’ll see what I’m talking about.