GOAT Rank · 52

Greatest Athletes from United States

This ranking is led by Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Edwin Moses. GOAT Rank currently ranks 52 eligible athletes from United States using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Carl Lewis ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 93.1.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

Carl Lewis

93.1

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1979–1997
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 93.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 94.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Carl Lewis

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

92.1

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1980–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 95.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Edwin Moses

91.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1976–1988
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Edwin Moses

Mike Conley Sr.

90.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1984–1996
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 95.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Mike Conley Sr.

Allyson Felix

90.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2003–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Allyson Felix

Al Oerter

89.7

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1954–1980
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Al Oerter

Evelyn Ashford

89.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1976–1992
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Evelyn Ashford

Ray Ewry

88.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1900–1908
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Ray Ewry

Ryan Crouser

88.7

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Ryan Crouser

Michael Johnson

88.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1988–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 93.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Michael Johnson

Tianna Bartoletta

88.4

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2004–2021
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Tianna Bartoletta

Willie Banks

87.7

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1978–1996
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Willie Banks

Sanya Richards-Ross

87.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2002–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Sanya Richards-Ross

Joan Benoit Samuelson

87.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1979–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Joan Benoit Samuelson

Rai Benjamin

87.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2017–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Rai Benjamin

Randy Barnes

87.2

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1986–1998
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Randy Barnes

Mike Powell

86.6

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1984–1996
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Mike Powell

Jesse Owens

86.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1932–1936
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 97.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Jesse Owens

Ralph Boston

86.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1960–1968
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Ralph Boston

Tyson Gay

86.2

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2005–2017
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Tyson Gay

100

Ashton Eaton

85.8

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2008–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Ashton Eaton

106

Justin Gatlin

85.6

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2000–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Justin Gatlin

108

Florence Griffith Joyner

85.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1983–1989
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 99.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 58.0

Athlete: Florence Griffith Joyner

109

Gail Devers

85.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1987–2007
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Gail Devers

110

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

85.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2016–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

115

Charles Austin

85.4

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1990–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Charles Austin

119

Dwight Phillips

85.2

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2000–2013
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Dwight Phillips

123

Dan O'Brien

85.1

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1988–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Dan O'Brien

145

Lee Evans

84.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1966–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Lee Evans

146

Larry Myricks

84.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1976–1992
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Larry Myricks

149

Kim Batten

83.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1991–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Kim Batten

154

Tommie Smith

83.6

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1963–1969
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Tommie Smith

156

Jessica Beard

83.6

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2009–2021
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Jessica Beard

158

Maurice Greene

83.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1995–2008
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Maurice Greene

160

Christian Coleman

83.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2016–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Christian Coleman

161

Valerie Brisco-Hooks

83.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1979–1988
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Valerie Brisco-Hooks

174

Randy Williams

83.1

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1971–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Randy Williams

180

Mikele Barber

82.8

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2001–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Mikele Barber

184

Kenny Bednarek

82.7

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2019–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Kenny Bednarek

197

Christian Taylor

82.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2009–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Christian Taylor

198

Derrick Adkins

82.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1990–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Derrick Adkins

200

Me'Lisa Barber

82.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2002–2010
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Me'Lisa Barber

213

Wilma Rudolph

81.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1956–1962
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 58.0

Athlete: Wilma Rudolph

217

Alexandria Anderson

81.1

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2007–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Alexandria Anderson

222

Nia Ali

81.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2011–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Nia Ali

254

Joanna Atkins

79.1

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2010–2017
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Joanna Atkins

265

Bob Beamon

77.7

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1965–1973
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 52.0

Athlete: Bob Beamon

266

Morolake Akinosun

77.7

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 70.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Morolake Akinosun

268

John Carlos

77.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1966–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 64.0

Athlete: John Carlos

280

Dick Fosbury

75.5

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1963–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 54.0

Athlete: Dick Fosbury

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
3	Carl Lewis	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1979–1997	93.1
4	Jackie Joyner-Kersee	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1980–2001	92.1
10	Edwin Moses	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1988	91.3
14	Mike Conley Sr.	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1984–1996	90.9
22	Allyson Felix	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2003–2022	90.0
27	Al Oerter	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1954–1980	89.7
29	Evelyn Ashford	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1992	89.5
35	Ray Ewry	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1900–1908	88.9
37	Ryan Crouser	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2013–active	88.7
41	Michael Johnson	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2001	88.5
43	Tianna Bartoletta	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2021	88.4
54	Willie Banks	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1978–1996	87.7
56	Sanya Richards-Ross	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2002–2016	87.5
62	Joan Benoit Samuelson	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1979–active	87.5
67	Rai Benjamin	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2017–active	87.3
72	Randy Barnes	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1986–1998	87.2
84	Mike Powell	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1984–1996	86.6
86	Jesse Owens	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1932–1936	86.3
89	Ralph Boston	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1960–1968	86.3
93	Tyson Gay	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2005–2017	86.2
100	Ashton Eaton	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2008–2016	85.8
106	Justin Gatlin	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2000–2022	85.6
108	Florence Griffith Joyner	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1983–1989	85.5
109	Gail Devers	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1987–2007	85.5
110	Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2016–active	85.5
115	Charles Austin	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2001	85.4
119	Dwight Phillips	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2000–2013	85.2
123	Dan O'Brien	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2000	85.1
145	Lee Evans	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1966–1972	84.0
146	Larry Myricks	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1992	84.0
149	Kim Batten	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1991–2000	83.9
154	Tommie Smith	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1969	83.6
156	Jessica Beard	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2009–2021	83.6
158	Maurice Greene	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2008	83.5
160	Christian Coleman	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2016–active	83.5
161	Valerie Brisco-Hooks	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1979–1988	83.5
174	Randy Williams	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1971–1984	83.1
180	Mikele Barber	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2001–2012	82.8
184	Kenny Bednarek	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2019–active	82.7
197	Christian Taylor	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2009–active	82.0
198	Derrick Adkins	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2000	82.0
200	Me'Lisa Barber	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2002–2010	82.0
213	Wilma Rudolph	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1956–1962	81.3
217	Alexandria Anderson	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2007–2016	81.1
222	Nia Ali	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2011–active	81.0
254	Joanna Atkins	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2010–2017	79.1
265	Bob Beamon	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1965–1973	77.7
266	Morolake Akinosun	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2013–active	77.7
268	John Carlos	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1966–1972	77.5
280	Dick Fosbury	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1972	75.5

Compare the leaders

Carl Lewis vs Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Read the full methodology

Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.

Read the full methodology

Frequently asked questions

How is this ranking calculated?

Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Who is included?

According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.

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