Greatest American Athletics Athletes of All Time
The greatest American athletics athletes in history — ranked by career achievements, honours and legacy.
AmericanAll American Athletics Athletes
Browse all 30 american athletics athletes in our database.
American
Allyson Felix
Sprinter (200m, 400m)
American sprinter who became the most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history with 11 Oly…
American
Athing Mu
Middle Distance (800m)
American middle-distance runner who became the youngest woman to win Olympic 800m gold since 1968, s…
American
Carl Lewis
Sprinter / Long Jumper
Nine-time Olympic gold medallist and winner of four consecutive long jump titles at the Games — wide…
American
Christian Coleman
Sprinter (100m)
American sprinter who holds the world indoor 60m record and won gold medals at the 2019 World Champi…
American
Ed Moses
Sprinter (400m H)
American 400m hurdles legend who went 122 races without a defeat across ten years between 1977 and 1…
American
Erriyon Knighton
Sprinter (200m)
American sprinter who became the youngest male to make a US Olympic track team since 1964 and holds …
American
Florence Griffith-Joyner
Sprinter
Flo-Jo — the fastest woman in history whose world records of 10.49s (100m) and 21.34s (200m) have st…
American
Fred Kerley
Sprinter (100m)
American sprinter who won 2022 World Championships 100m gold and 2021 Olympic 100m silver, transitio…
American
Gabby Thomas
Sprinter (200m)
American sprinter specializing in 200m and 400m events, Olympic champion and world record holder in …
American
Gail Devers
Sprinter (100m H)
American sprinter and hurdler who won three Olympic gold medals and five World Championship titles, …
American
Grant Holloway
Hurdler
American track and field athlete specializing in hurdles, three-time world champion and world record…
American
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Heptathlon
American track and field athlete widely considered the greatest female multi-event athlete of all ti…
American
Jesse Owens
Sprinter / Long Jumper
The hero of the 1936 Berlin Olympics — won four gold medals in front of Adolf Hitler, directly chall…
American
Joe Kovacs
Shot Put
American shot putter and three-time World Champion known for his powerful technique and consistency …
American
JuVaughn Harrison
High Jump / Long Jump
American track and field athlete specializing in high jump and long jump, first person to qualify fo…
American
Kevin Young
Sprinter (400m H)
American track and field athlete who holds the world record in 400m hurdles with a time of 46.78 sec…
American
Marion Jones
Sprinter (100m/200m)
American sprinter and long jumper who won five medals at 2000 Olympics before being stripped due to …
American
Mary Slaney
Middle Distance Runner
American middle-distance runner who dominated the 1980s, setting multiple world records and winning …
American
Maurice Greene
Sprinter
American sprinter who dominated 100m from 1997-2001, held world record at 9.79 seconds, won two Olym…
American
Melissa Jefferson
Sprinter (100m)
American sprinter specializing in 100m and 4x100m relay, known for her World Championships medals an…
American
Michael Johnson
Sprinter 200m/400m
The most dominant 200m and 400m runner in history — the unprecedented 200m/400m Olympic double at At…
American
Noah Lyles
Sprinter
American sprinter and world record holder in the 200m, known for his charismatic personality and dom…
American
Quincy Hall
Sprinter (400m)
American sprinter and 400m specialist, 2024 Olympic champion who set the American record of 43.40 se…
American
Rai Benjamin
Sprinter (400m H)
American track and field athlete specializing in 400m hurdles, world champion and Olympic silver med…
American
Ryan Crouser
Shot Put
American shot put athlete and world record holder, two-time Olympic champion and multiple World Cham…
American
Sha'Carri Richardson
Sprinter
American sprinter who became Olympic champion and world champion in the 100m, known for her explosiv…
American
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
Hurdles/Sprints
American track and field athlete who holds the world record in 400m hurdles and is a two-time Olympi…
American
Tommie Smith
Sprinter
American sprinter who won Olympic gold in 200m at 1968 Mexico City Olympics with world record, famou…
American
Trayvon Bromell
Sprinter (200m)
American sprinter and one of the fastest men in history, known for his explosive speed in the 100m a…
American
Valarie Allman
Discus
American discus thrower who became Olympic champion in 2021 and two-time World champion, known for h…