Who is better, Bubka or Nurmi?
Sergey Bubka leads with a GOAT score of 93.2 against 92.1 for Paavo Nurmi — a gap of 1.1 points on GOAT Rank's weighted model.
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Bubka vs Nurmi
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Quick answer
GOAT Rank currently ranks Sergey Bubka above Paavo Nurmi: 93.2 vs 92.1. Sergey Bubka leads on Longevity, Dominance, Statistics. Paavo Nurmi leads on Honours, Peak.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →GOAT verdictgoatrank.world
BubkaWinner
93.2Bubka wins: Dominance, Longevity, Statistics
Nurmi
92.1Nurmi wins: Peak, Honours
Candidates
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Time range
Showing full careers. Pick a window to recalculate the selected period.
Category radar
Verdict
Weighted GOAT score
🇺🇦 Sergey Bubka
93.2
Bubka leads in 3 of 5 weighted categories.
1. Sergey Bubka
2. Paavo Nurmi
Category breakdown
Season form · Form index per season
Career timeline · Form index per season
Cumulative output season by season — the shape of each career against the other.
GOAT pace tracker
Through age 21 · Form index per season
1. 🇺🇦 Sergey Bubka148 major golds
2 seasons by age 21 · 74 per season
Setting the pace at age 21
No verified birth date for Nurmi — shown in the pro-debut view instead.
Every career is cut at the season the athlete turned 21, so a rookie today is measured against exactly what a legend had banked by the same birthday.
| Metric | BubkaRetired | NurmiRetired |
|---|---|---|
| World records | 35 | 22 |
| World golds (outdoor) | 6 | — |
| Olympic golds | 1 | 9 |
| Best height (m) | 6.15 | — |
| 6.00m+ clearances | 44 | — |
| Seasons at the top | 18 | — |
| Olympic medals | — | 12 |
| Golds at one Games | — | 5 |
| Unbeaten run (races) | — | 121 |
| Distances held records at | — | 8 |
| Dominance w25% | 96 | 93 |
| Peak w20% | 94 | 95 |
| Longevity w20% | 92 | 86 |
| Honours w20% | 90 | 94 |
| Statistics w15% | 93 | 92 |
Fan vote — data vs the people
GOAT Rank · the data
Bubka93.2
Nurmi92.1
FAQ
Where does Nurmi beat Bubka?
Nurmi scores higher on peak, honours. Bubka leads on dominance, statistics, longevity.
How is the Bubka vs Nurmi score calculated?
Both are scored on peak, dominance, honours, statistics, longevity within their sport. Bubka: 93.2, Nurmi: 92.1.
What do you think?
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