Famous American Athletes

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While talking about greatest athletes of all time, US sport stars have dominated much of the world sports. They are a power bank of everything that it takes to become a greatest athlete - speed, accuracy, quickness, determination, endurance, physical ability and hand-eye coordination. They are specialists in their trade and have excelled in their sports. While the current American athletes are noteworthy and remarkable, one cannot but restrain from mentioning legendary American athletes such as Carl Lewis and Jesse Owens. Both former track and field athletes have contributed magnanimously to American athletic achievements in their career as a sprinter and long jumper each. While Lewis has 10 Olympic medals and 10 World Championships in his kitty, Owens won four gold medals in Berlin Olympics in 1936. Other prominent American athletes that the world has seen include Sanya Richard Ross, Ashton Eaton, Allyson Felix, Justin Gatlin, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Lolo Jones and so on. Their impressive career numbers and figures have helped them make their way into history books with their record-setting achievements. To get a brief overview about them and the other renowned American athletes, their life and their journey in sports, go through this section.
Vote for Your Favourite American Athletes
 1 
Jim Thorpe
(American Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Jim Thorpe
9
Birthdate: May 28, 1887
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States
Died: March 28, 1953

Jim Thorpe was an American athlete who was counted among the most versatile athletes of the modern era. Jim Thorpe won two gold medals at the 1912 Olympics and became the first Native American to give the United States an Olympic gold. He also played American football, professional baseball, and basketball. He was memorialized in the 1951 film Jim Thorpe – All-American.

 2 
Allyson Felix
(Retired American Track and Field Athlete Who Competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 Meters)
Allyson Felix
8
Birthdate: November 18, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

The most-decorated track and field athlete, Allyson Felix, once bullied for having skinny legs, now has a record 9 Olympic medals, including 6 gold medals. Named to Time 100 in 2020, she is also part of the board of Right to Play, which caters to children in underdeveloped countries.

 3 
Carl Lewis
(American Track-and-Field Athlete Who Won Nine Olympic Gold Medals During the 1980s and 1990s)
Carl Lewis
12
Birthdate: July 1, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

A dominant sprinter and long jumper, Carl Lewis has won ten Olympic medals, nine of them gold. From 1981 to 1991, he topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump events, slowly starting to lose his dominance thereafter, eventually retiring in 1997. Currently a businessperson, he has also appeared in films and television productions.

 4 
Justin Gatlin
(American Sprinter Who Won the Gold Medal in the 100 Meters at the 2004 Olympics)
Justin Gatlin
11
Birthdate: February 10, 1982
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Five-time Olympic medalist and renowned sprinter Justin Gatlin is a specialist in the 100m and the 200m categories. In 2005, he became the first to win both the 100m and the 200m world titles. He was a childhood fan of Mike Tyson and had initially been a hurdler.

 5 
Wilma Rudolph
(The First American Woman to Win Three Gold Medals in a Single Olympic Games)
Wilma Rudolph
9
Birthdate: June 23, 1940
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Clarksville, Tennessee, United States
Died: November 12, 1994

Sprinter Wilma Rudolph made history by becoming the first American female athlete to win three track and field gold medals in a single Olympic game. As a child, she needed orthopedic shoes to help her walk. The sports icon lost her life to cancer but was immortalized through books and movies.

 6 
Bob Beamon
(Best Known for His World Record in the Long Jump at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968)
Bob Beamon
5
Birthdate: August 29, 1946
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: South Jamaica, New York, United States

Bob Beamon is a former American track and field athlete who won the gold medal for the long jump at the 1968 Olympics. He created a world record in the process of winning the gold medal; the record was broken by Mike Powell almost 23 years later. Beamon was inducted into United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

 7 
Edwin Moses
(American Former Track and Field Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist in the 400 m Hurdles)
Edwin Moses
4
Birthdate: August 31, 1955
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
 8 
Jim Kelly
(American Athlete, Martial Artist and Actor)
Jim Kelly
5
Birthdate: May 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Paris, Kentucky, United States
Died: June 29, 2013

Athlete and martial artist Jim Kelly won hearts with his Afro hairstyle and his roles in action film such as Enter the Dragon and Black Belt Jones. Apart from films, he also excelled in karate, winning contests such as the International Middle Weight Karate Championship. He has also played professional tennis.

 9 
Florence Griffith Joyner
(American Track and Field Athlete Who Won Gold Medal in 100 m and 200 m in 1988 Olympics)
Florence Griffith Joyner
8
Birthdate: December 21, 1959
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: September 21, 1998

Legendary American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner is still regarded as the fastest woman in the world. Her world records in both the 100m and 200m categories have still not been broken. The three-time Olympic gold medal winner was also known for her six-inch nails and her unconventional outfits.

 10 
Maurice Greene
(American Former Track and Field Sprinter and Olympic Medalist)
Maurice Greene
5
Birthdate: July 23, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States

Maurice Greene is a former track and field athlete and a former world record holder in 100-metre dash. Greene won four Olympic medals, including two gold medals, representing the United States of America in two Olympic Games. Maurice Greene also has five gold medals at the World Athletics Championships under his belt.

 11 
Dick Fosbury
(American Retired High Jumper and One of the Most Influential Athletes in the History of Track and Field)
Dick Fosbury
5
Birthdate: March 6, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, United States

Dick Fosbury is an American former track and field athlete who specialized in the high jump. Widely regarded as one of the most influential athletes in track and field history, Fosbury revolutionized the high jump with a new technique which came to be known as the Fosbury Flop. Dick Fosbury also won the gold medal at the 1968 Olympics.

 12 
Jesse Owens
(American Track and Field Athlete Who Won Four Gold Medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics)
Jesse Owens
7
Birthdate: September 12, 1913
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Oakville, Alabama, United States
Died: March 31, 1980

Widely regarded as one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time, Jesse Owens' three world records in less than an hour in 1935 came to be known as the greatest 45 minutes ever in sports. He was credited with destroying Adolf Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy when he won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

 13 
Christian Coleman
(American Professional Track and Field Sprinter Who Competes in the 100 and 200 Meters)
Christian Coleman
4
Birthdate: March 6, 1996
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Track and field sprinter Christian Coleman has two World Championship golds in his kitty. Born into a sports-oriented family, with his sister being a track and field athlete, he was naturally drawn toward sports. He was banned for missing his drug tests and, as a result, missed the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

 14 
Gail Devers
(One of the Greatest and Most Decorated Female Sprinters of All Time)
Gail Devers
3
Birthdate: July 23, 1966
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
 15 
Mary Decker
(American Middle-Distance Runner)
Mary Decker
5
Birthdate: August 4, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Flemington, New Jersey, United States
 16 
John Carlos
(American Former Track and Field Athlete)
John Carlos
4
Birthdate: June 5, 1945
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, United States

John Carlos is a former football player and track and field athlete. Carlos won a bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. After his track career, he helped organize the 1984 Summer Olympics as part of his work with the United States Olympic Committee. In 2003, Carlos was made an inductee of the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame.

 17 
Mike Powell
(American Former Track and Field Athlete and the Holder of the Long Jump World Record)
Mike Powell
3
Birthdate: November 10, 1963
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
 18 
Suzy Favor Hamilton
(American Former Middle-Distance Runner)
Suzy Favor Hamilton
4
Birthdate: August 8, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States

Suzy Favor Hamilton is a former middle-distance runner who participated in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Summer Olympics, representing the USA. Favor broke many hearts when she turned to prostitution which in turn ended her career as an athlete. She claimed mental illness as the reason for her downfall and is currently serving as a speaker at mental health conferences.

 19 
Delilah DiCrescenzo
(American Distance Runner)
Delilah DiCrescenzo
4
Birthdate: February 7, 1983
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Delilah DiCrescenzo is an American track and field athlete who competes in the 3000 meters steeplechase. She helped Team USA win the gold medal at the Americas Cross Country Championships in 2009. Delilah DiCrescenzo is the subject of a hit song titled Hey There Delilah by the popular American rock band Plain White T's.

 20 
Allison Stokke
(Pole Vaulter and Fitness Model)
Allison Stokke
5
Birthdate: March 22, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Newport Beach, California, United States

Allison Stokke became an internet sensation after a few of her images went viral when she was 17. The talented high-school pole vaulter earned the 2011 All-American honors. She later gained more fame as a fitness model and a sex symbol than as a sportsperson. She also failed her Olympic trials.

 21 
Marion Jones
(American Former World Champion Track and Field Athlete and Former Professional Basketball Player)
Marion Jones
4
Birthdate: October 12, 1975
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Marion Jones became the first female athlete to win five track and field medals in a single Olympic game. She was, however, stripped of all her Olympic medals after she admitted to using steroids. She also spent 6 months in jail for being involved in a check-fraud case.

 22 
Jim Ryun
(American Former Republican Politician and Olympic Track and Field Athlete)
Jim Ryun
3
Birthdate: April 29, 1947
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas, United States

Jim Ryun is an American former track and field athlete who won a silver medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. At the peak of his career, Ryun was considered one of the top middle-distance runners in the world. He later became a politician and served in the US House of Representatives. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020.

 23 
Alberto Salazar
(American Former Track Coach and Long-Distance Runner)
Alberto Salazar
4
Birthdate: August 7, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Alberto Salazar is an American former long-distance runner who won the silver medal at the 1982 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Rome, Italy. After his retirement from the sport, Salazar served as the head coach for the Nike Oregon Project and received the 2013 IAAF Coaching Achievement Award in Monaco. He was later banned for doping and sexual offenses.

 24 
Tyson Gay
(American Track and Field Sprinter)
Tyson Gay
5
Birthdate: August 9, 1982
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Born into an athletic family, Tyson Gay naturally developed an interest in sports. One of the fastest sprinters in both the 100m and the 200m categories, he was part of the 2016 Olympic relay team that was stripped of its medal for breaking game rules.

 25 
Billy Mills
(American Former Track and Field Athletes and Olympic Gold Medalists)
Billy Mills
4
Birthdate: June 30, 1938
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States
 26 
Ralph Metcalfe
(American Track and Field Sprinter and Politician)
Ralph Metcalfe
3
Birthdate: May 29, 1910
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: October 10, 1978
 27 
Michael Johnson
(American Retired Sprinter Who Won Four Olympic Gold Medals)
Michael Johnson
7
Birthdate: September 13, 1967
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson remains the only man to win both the 200m and the 400m events in the same Olympics. He was the Track & Field News 1996 Athlete of the Year. In 2008, he returned his 2000 Olympic relay medal, as a teammate had taken performance-enhancing drugs.

 28 
Dave Wottle
(American Retired Middle-Distance Track Athlete)
Dave Wottle
3
Birthdate: August 7, 1950
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Canton, Ohio, United States

Dave Wottle is an American former track and field athlete who specialized in middle-distance running events. Wottle is best known for winning the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, competing in the 800-meter run. Dave Wottle used to wear a golf cap while running; it later became his signature style.

 29 
Bernard Lagat
(Kenyan-American Middle and Long-distance Runner)
Bernard Lagat
3
Birthdate: December 12, 1974
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kapsabet, Kenya
 30 
Sanya Richards-Ross
(Retired Jamaican-American Track and Field Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalists)
Sanya Richards-Ross
1
Birthdate: February 26, 1985
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
 31 
Lolo Jones
(American Hurdler and Bobsledder Who Specializes in the 60-meter and 100-meter Hurdles)
Lolo Jones
1
Birthdate: August 5, 1982
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Des Moines, Iowa, United States

While she believes missing out on the gold medal at the 100m hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics was her most painful experience, American hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones is still quite a star. She has penned a memoir and has also appeared on shows such as Celebrity Big Brother.

 32 
Amos Alonzo Stagg
(American Athlete and College Coach)
Amos Alonzo Stagg
4
Birthdate: August 16, 1862
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Died: March 17, 1965
 33 
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
(One of the Greatest Female Athletes of All-Time)
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
3
Birthdate: March 3, 1962
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: East St. Louis, Illinois, United States

The first to score over 7,000 points in the heptathlon, Jackie Joyner-Kersee is considered by many as one of the greatest female athletes ever. While in school, she excelled in sports such as volleyball, basketball, and track, and also did well in studies. She later won three Olympic golds medals.

 34 
Mal Whitfield
(American Athlete, Goodwill Ambassador, and Airman)
Mal Whitfield
3
Birthdate: October 11, 1924
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bay City, Texas, United States
Died: November 19, 2015
 35 
Stanislawa Walasiewicz
(Polish-American Track and Field Athlete)
Stanislawa Walasiewicz
3
Birthdate: April 3, 1911
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Wierzchownia, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland
Died: December 4, 1980
 36 
Betty Robinson
(American Athlete and Winner of the First Olympic 100 Metres for Women)
Betty Robinson
3
Birthdate: August 23, 1911
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Riverdale, Illinois, United States
Died: May 18, 1999
 37 
Carmelita Jeter
(American Sprinter)
Carmelita Jeter
3
Birthdate: November 24, 1979
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
 38 
LaShawn Merritt
(American Track and Field Athlete)
LaShawn Merritt
4
Birthdate: June 27, 1986
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Virginia, United States
 39 
Glenn Cunningham
(American Middle-Distance Runner)
Glenn Cunningham
3
Birthdate: August 4, 1909
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Kansas, United States
Died: March 10, 1988
 40 
Evelyn Ashford
(American Retired Track and Field Athlete)
Evelyn Ashford
3
Birthdate: April 15, 1957
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
 41 
Jim Hines
(American Track and Field Athlete Who Held the 100-Meter World Record for 15 Years)
Jim Hines
0
Birthdate: September 10, 1946
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dumas, Arkansas, United States
 42 
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
(American Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
1
Birthdate: June 26, 1911
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Port Arthur, Texas, United States
Died: September 27, 1956

Babe Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who specialized in golf, track and field, basketball, and baseball. Considered one of the greatest female athletes ever, Didrikson won two gold medals and a silver medal in track and field at the Summer Olympics in 1932. She then went on to win 10 LPGA major championships, becoming USA's first female golf celebrity.

 43 
Jeremy Wariner
(American Retired Track Athlete Specializing in the 400 Meters and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Jeremy Wariner
4
Birthdate: January 31, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Irving, Texas, United States
 44 
Tatyana McFadden
(American Paralympic Athlete)
Tatyana McFadden
3
Birthdate: April 21, 1989
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
 45 
Jenna Prandini
(American Track and Field Athlete and Olympic Medalist)
Jenna Prandini
0
Birthdate: November 20, 1992
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Fresno, California, United States
 46 
Paul Chelimo
(American Track and Field Athlete)
Paul Chelimo
3
Birthdate: October 27, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Iten, Kenya
 47 
Wyomia Tyus
(Olympic Athlete)
Wyomia Tyus
2
Birthdate: August 29, 1945
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Griffin, Georgia, United States
 48 
Kerri Walsh Jennings
(Beach Volleyball player)
Kerri Walsh Jennings
2
Birthdate: August 15, 1978
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Santa Clara, California, United States

American beach-volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings was born to a baseball player father and a volleyball player mother, and was naturally drawn toward sports. She later attended Stanford on a sports scholarship and won three gold medals at the Olympics. She is married to fellow beach-volleyball player Casey Jennings

 49 
Jahvid Best
(Olympic Track and Field Athlete and a Former American Football Running Back)
Jahvid Best
0
Birthdate: January 30, 1989
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Vallejo, California, United States
 50 
Dan O'Brien
(Former Decathlete and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Dan O'Brien
0
Birthdate: July 18, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, United States