Sports fans have been gifted throughout history for getting to witness incredible Black Athletes, whether it be “The Greatest” Muhammed Ali; 3-time World Cup Winner Pelé; or the ground breaking Jackie Robinson. In this article, Joshua McCormack looks at three black athletes who are undisputedly the greatest to ever play their sport.
Sports fans have been gifted throughout history for getting to witness incredible Black Athletes, whether it be “The Greatest” Muhammed Ali; 3-time World Cup Winner Pelé; or the ground breaking Jackie Robinson. In this article, Joshua McCormack looks at three black athletes who are undisputedly the greatest to ever play their sport.
Serena Williams:
In 1999, seventeen-year-old Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam at the US Open, defeating Martina Hingis in straight sets. In a career spanning over twenty years, she would become the undisputed GOAT of tennis by winning 23 Grand Slam Singles titles and 14 Grand Slam Doubles titles, the most of any player – man or woman – in the Open Era. Williams won three Olympic Gold medals in singles; and secured a further four playing doubles alongside her sister, Venus Williams. Her records are countless; her legacy as a trailblazing athlete undeniable.
Lewis Hamilton:
Aged just thirteen, Lewis Hamilton was signed on to the McLaren Driver Development Programme. The English prodigy would swiftly come to dominate the racing scene; today he holds seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles – tied with childhood idol Michael Schumacer – and has the all-time record for most races won (105). Hamilton has consistently used his platform to advocate social change; most notably during the Black Lives Matter movement where he was one of the first athletes to take the knee in pursuit of change.
Michael Jordan:
Michael Jordan is arguably the GOAT in basketball, depending on who you ask, his status transcending the sport. Be it the many iconic images of his slam-dunk, the Nike-model of sneakers named after him, or the savvy business manoeuvres that helped him secure a fortune upwards of $1 billion. Despite retiring from the sport over twenty years ago, countless records of his are yet to be broken, including his six NBA Finals MVP titles, the most points ever scored in a playoff game (63), and ten NBA scoring titles, among countless other achievements.