Are these the greatest multi-sport athletes of all time?

Whilst most of us played a variety of sports growing up, there are very few people who made it to the top in their chosen fields, let alone ascending to the peak of multiple sports during their careers. Here’s a look at some of the most naturally gifted sportspeople of all time.

Quite possibly the greatest women’s cricketer ever with enviable numbers with both bat and ball, with a countless number of major trophies alongside, Perry was also a gifted footballer. Making her debut for Australia aged just 16, she was a part of the Matildas squad for the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany. With the rapid growth of women’s cricket in Australia, Perry made that her sole focus in 2016.

In the pantheon of naturally gifted athletes, Bo Jackson possibly stands head and shoulders above the rest. Clocking a 4.12 second 40-yard dash on a grass field in pads, when the current NFL combine record is 4.22 on turf in shorts and a t-shirt, is impressive enough, but playing in both the NFL and MLB showed his true versatility. His career never reached the soaring heights it could’ve due to a serious hip injury, but it’s impossible not to include him on this list.

There’s an argument to be made that of all the names on this list, Williams could well have had the most impressive career. Winning multiple rugby union world cups would be enough for most, but with myriad trophies in both rugby codes, union and league, Sonny Bill wasn’t content to leave it there. Turning his attention to boxing, Williams finished his professional career with a 9-1 record including a WBA International heavy belt along the way.

Victoria Pendleton may be a name unfamiliar to some, but for anyone with an interest in track cycling, she will be known for her absolutely incredible career. Appearing at 3 Olympic games and winning multiple gold medals aside, Pendleton was part of a British cycling side that dominated all comers for multiple years. After she hung up her bike for the last time, she turned her attention to horse racing, training to be a jockey from scratch, culminating in a 5th place finish at the famous Cheltenham racecourse.

Like Elysse Perry, Botham is a true all-round talent, perhaps England's greatest-ever cricketer, whilst also turning out for Yeovil Town and Scunthorpe United as a center-half. Botham’s legacy sometimes gets boiled down to the famous 1981 Headingley Test, where his performance saw England overcome Australia from a seemingly impossible position. But Botham was far more than that, and his all-round talent should be acknowledged.

Jim Thorpe is the very embodiment of talent, competing at the 1912 Olympics in long jump, high jump, pentathlon and decathlon whilst also turning out in professional baseball and gridiron. Despite his gold medals being retroactively stripped in controversial circumstances, Thorpe was perhaps the most dominant sportsman to ever grace the planet. He was also a founding member, and the first president, of the NFL. Quite the legacy.

Jordan Mailata is a true mountain of a man, born and raised in Sydney, Australia, he grew up playing rugby league. Mailata’s size and athleticism earned him a contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the NRL where he played for their reserve team. Cut from the side for effectively being too big, Mailata made his way to America where he learned how to play offensive tackle. Drafted in the 7th round by the Philadelphia Eagles, Mailata is now considered amongst the best at his position in the league.

Currently the general manager of the Utah Jazz NBA franchise, Ainge has had quite the career. Drafted by the Boston Celtics in the NBA and the Toronto Blue Jays, he made professional appearances for both in his playing days. Ainge was a key member of the Celtics lineup which won two NBA titles in the mid 80s, some 20 years later he would end up assembling a team as GM who would go on to win another title for Boston.

The only player in history to be drafted in the 1st round of both the MLB and NFL draft, Kyler Murray is a uniquely talented man. After being selected by the Oakland Athletics, Murray turned down their offer of over $14 million to continue his football career. After being selected number 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals, Murray recently signed an extension worth over $230 million, so maybe he made the right decision.

Bigger, stronger and faster than almost all of his contemporaries, Brown was a force of nature at Syracuse University. Earning All-American status in both gridiron and lacrosse whilst playing for the Orange, Brown was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Browns, winning an NFL Championship in 1964. Beyond his sporting abilities, Brown has since acted in numerous feature films.

A very small group of sportspeople have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic games, Hughes finds herself in even more rarified air, having won multiple medals at both. Competing in indoor and outdoor cycling events would be impressive enough, but with a pair of bronze medals at the 1996 Atlanta games, she was amongst the best in her field. A decade later Hughes would go a couple of steps better with a gold medal in the 5000m speed skating event in Turin.

A name synonymous with his trail-blazing efforts as the first black man to play in the MLB, Robinson is remembered as having to battle extreme prejudice just to play for his Brooklyn Dodgers side. A Hall of Fame career followed, with an MLB Championship ring and MVP title secured. Before this, however, Robinson was a 4 sport athlete at UCLA, competing in American football, baseball, basketball and track. A multi-sport talent whose legacy lives on still.

There have been a few Olympian sprinters who have attempted to make it in the NFL, but none found the level of success ‘Bullet Bob’ did. With 2 gold medals under his belt at the 1964 Olympics, Hayes was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. A 10-year career followed with over 7,400 receiving yards and 71 touchdowns, Hayes was destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Having won Super VI in 1972, he became the only athlete with an Olympic gold medal and Super Bowl ring

Possibly the greatest defensive back to ever grace an NFL field, ‘Prime Time’ Sanders was never short of talent. Despite winning multiple Super Bowls and appearing in a World Series game, his greatest accomplishment was probably appearing in 2 professional sports games in 1 day. In October 1992, Sanders played for the Atlanta Falcons against the Miami Dolphins before jetting to Pittsburgh to play for the National League Championship Series with his Atlanta Braves squad.

There is a long history of players swapping between rugby league and rugby union, but few did it quite as successfully as Robinson. A career which included a Super League trophy as well as an English Premiership, Robinson’s crowning achievement was probably helping England overcome Australia in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. With 2 British and Irish Lions tours under his belt as well, Robinson had no shortage of accolades during his career.