20 Legendary Athletes from the Past Who’ve Been Forgotten
These 20 legendary athletes once dominated their sports, shattered records, and inspired generations—only to fade into obscurity, waiting to be rediscovered.
- Alyana Aguja
- 6 min read
History is replete with great players who ruled in their sports, broke records, and reinterpreted greatness—before being forgotten themselves. From football legends and Olympic heroes to dual-sports phenoms, such players once rode the highest platform of competition yet now live in the form of footnotes only. This article brings their stunning tales back, seeing that genuine excellence never really disappears—it only waits to be remembered.
1. Bob Mathias (Decathlon) – USA
Image from Britannica
Seventeen-year-old Bob Mathias became the youngest track and field champion in history after winning gold in the decathlon at the 1948 Olympics. He successfully defended his title in 1952, triumphing by a landslide even though he hardly trained. He then became a congressman in the United States after retirement, but his athletic records fell into oblivion.
2. Helene Madison (Swimming) – USA
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Dominating the 1932 Olympics, Helene Madison collected three gold medals and established over 20 world freestyle swimming records. However, professional sports regulations during her time pushed her to premature retirement. She eventually lived in poverty and passed away, while her own achievements were mainly forgotten.
3. Alfredo Di Stéfano (Soccer) – Argentina/Spain
Image from Wikipedia
Usually overshadowed by Pelé and Maradona, Di Stéfano was Real Madrid’s best player, winning five successive European Cups in the 1950s. He was a complete footballer, playing well up front, midfield, and defense. While highly regarded in Spain, he never played for his country in a World Cup, which cut his international profile.
4. Jim Thorpe (Multi-Sport) – USA
Image from Britannica
Quite possibly the best overall athlete, Thorpe took home gold in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics. His medals were later taken from him for breaking amateur rules in small ways (restored in 1983). A football, baseball, and basketball great, he lived out his later years in poverty, and his successes were overshadowed.
5. Fanny Blankers-Koen (Track & Field) – Netherlands
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Nicknamed the “Flying Housewife,” Fanny Blankers-Koen won four gold medals at the 1948 Olympics. She dominated women’s sprinting while being a mother of two. She broke world records in several events but was frequently discounted due to her gender. While a legend in track circles, she’s mostly forgotten outside of them.
6. Boris Onischenko (Modern Pentathlon) – USSR
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A phenomenal pentathlete, Onischenko was a powerhouse in the 1960s and 1970s, earning Olympic and World Championship medals. His career came to an ignominious end when he was caught cheating during the 1976 Olympics using a doctored fencing épée. His legacy is now a footnote in Olympic scandal lore instead of his true ability.
7. Esther Vergeer (Wheelchair Tennis) – Netherlands
Image from Wikipedia
Incomparable for over a decade, Vergeer won 470 straight wheelchair tennis matches. Dominating the game like no one else in sporting history, she won seven Paralympic gold medals. However, she is not famous outside the Paralympic community despite her unmatched success.
8. Hugo Sánchez (Football) – Mexico
Image from Real Madrid
One of the most prolific goal scorers of the 1980s, Sánchez won five La Liga Golden Boots and led Real Madrid to multiple league titles. His acrobatic volleys were the stuff of legend, but he’s generally underappreciated in GOAT conversations. Unlike many Latin American stars, he never had a deep World Cup run, limiting his worldwide influence.
9. Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias (Multi-Sport) – USA
Image from Wikipedia
Babe Didrikson, a pioneering female athlete, won two Olympic golds in track before becoming a golf champion. She swept up women’s golf, winning 10 major championships, but died prematurely of cancer. Her influence on women’s sports is indisputable, but she’s seldom included in all-time great lists.
10. Gunder Hägg (Middle-Distance Running) – Sweden
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Between 1941 and 1945, Hägg achieved 15 world records in middle-distance running, including the mile. He was the first to break the 4:02, but his amateur standing was stripped, bringing his career to an untimely conclusion. With Roger Bannister subsequently breaking the 4-minute mile, Hägg’s name became lost in the mists of history.
11. Larisa Latynina (Gymnastics) – USSR
Image from Britannica
With 18 Olympic medals (nine gold), Latynina was the most celebrated Olympian for decades until Phelps overtook her. She transformed gymnastics and spearheaded the USSR’s domination of the sport. Still, she is seldom mentioned outside the context of gymnastics.
12. Adolfo Consolini (Discus) – Italy
Image from Wikipedia
Consolini dominated discus throw in the 1940s and 1950s, winning Olympic gold in 1948. He set multiple world records and excelled despite World War II interrupting his career. As discus lost its mainstream appeal, so did his name.
13. Wilma Rudolph (Track & Field) – USA
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Prematurely born and growing up unable to walk correctly, Rudolph became the world’s fastest woman in 1960 by winning three Olympic gold medals. She was a civil rights pioneer but prematurely retired at 22. Though a figure of great history, she’s largely a footnote in track history.
14. Parry O’Brien (Shot Put) – USA
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O’Brien transformed shot put with the “glide technique,” which assisted him in winning two Olympic golds. His record-breaking reign lasted over a decade. Although his technique remains in use, his name is all but forgotten.
15. Michael “Eddie the Eagle” Edwards (Ski Jumping) – UK
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A symbol of perseverance, Edwards became Britain’s first Olympic ski jumper in 1988. Though he finished last, his underdog spirit captivated the world. Despite his fame at the time, his name is now more of a trivia answer than a celebrated athlete.
16. Chiyonofuji (Sumo Wrestling) – Japan
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One of the greatest sumo wrestlers, Chiyonofuji won 31 top-division championships, employing speed and agility instead of brute strength. He transformed sumo’s aesthetic, demonstrating that technique could compete with brute strength. However, his name is seldom known abroad.
17. Jan Železný (Javelin) – Czech Republic
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Železný has the javelin world record and three Olympic gold medals. He dominated the 1990s like no other, but his sport is not as widely appealing as sprints or jumps. Consequently, his greatness is taken for granted.
18. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Heptathlon/Long Jump) – USA
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One of the finest women athletes to ever compete, she won six Olympic medals in the heptathlon and long jump. She pioneered women’s sports and held records that lasted decades. However, her glory is overshadowed by more charismatic track athletes.
19. Paul Anderson (Weightlifting) – USA
Image from Wikipedia
A literal giant, Anderson was an Olympic gold winner in 1956 and called “the strongest man in history.” He unofficially broke world records in powerlifting that defy comprehension. However, with the niche popularity of weightlifting, his name doesn’t ring as often as it should.
20. Dawn Fraser (Swimming) – Australia
Image from Britannica
The first woman to win three consecutive Olympic golds in the same event (100m freestyle), Fraser was also a rule-breaker, banned for lifting an Olympic flag. She changed the face of women’s swimming and had a notorious brash attitude. Even though she dominated the sport, she’s not often included in discussions of the best swimmers.