Who is better, Phelps or Salnikov?
Michael Phelps leads with a GOAT score of 98.1 against 87.1 for Vladimir Salnikov — a gap of 11.0 points on GOAT Rank's weighted model.
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Phelps vs Salnikov
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Quick answer
GOAT Rank currently ranks Michael Phelps above Vladimir Salnikov: 98.1 vs 87.1. Michael Phelps leads on Honours, Longevity, Dominance.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →GOAT verdictgoatrank.world
PhelpsWinner
98.1Phelps wins: Dominance, Peak, Longevity, Honours, Statistics
Salnikov
87.1Salnikov wins: no category outright
Candidates
Locked to SwimmingShareable URL · /compare/phelps-vs-vladimir-salnikov
Time range
Showing full careers. Pick a window to recalculate the selected period.
Category radar
Verdict
Weighted GOAT score
🇺🇸 Michael Phelps
98.1
Phelps leads in 5 of 5 weighted categories.
1. Michael Phelps
2. Vladimir Salnikov
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. 🇺🇸 Michael Phelps548 major golds
7 seasons by age 21 · 78.3 per season
Setting the pace at age 21
No verified birth date for Salnikov — 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.
Fan vote — data vs the people
GOAT Rank · the data
Phelps98.1
Salnikov87.1
FAQ
Where does Salnikov beat Phelps?
Salnikov does not lead any of the five categories; Phelps is ahead or level on all of them.
How is the Phelps vs Salnikov score calculated?
Both are scored on peak, dominance, honours, statistics, longevity within their sport. Phelps: 98.1, Salnikov: 87.1.
What do you think?
0 commentsMake your case for Phelps vs Salnikov. The scoring is published in full — if you can point at the pillar or the weight you disagree with, we read it. Read the methodology paper.