Who are the 20 greatest Jamaican athletes of all time?

Internationally, Jamaica is known for producing some of the world's finest athletes. Although most of these Jamaican athletes are track and field sprinters, the Caribbean country has also produced some of the best in other professions, such as basketball, soccer, baseball, boxing and bodybuilding, among others.

With the likes of Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Asafa Powell in the spotlight, the Pan-American country has produced some of the most extraordinary talents on the planet. Through their consistent talent and commitment, they have achieved great success in different sports and have inspired many.

The top 20 greatest Jamaican athletes of all time

The Caribbean nation has a rich history, talent, and deep love for athletics; thus, handpicking the top athletes is no walk in the park. According to various online sources, here is a list of the top 20 greatest Jamaican athletes in history ranked according to their achievements.

Top 20 most underrated footballers of all time: who are they?

Football

20. Richard 'the Alien' Grant

• Age: 49 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Boxer
• Achievements: Light Heavyweight and middleweight champion

Richard is a Jamaican retired boxer best known for his 2001 nationally televised battle against his then-rival James Butler. Although he won the match, Butler found him off guard after the match and gave him a jaw-breaking blow.

19. Ricardo Fuller

• Age: 43 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Footballer
• Achievements: 9 goals for the Jamaican national football team, FA Cup Finals

Ricardo is one of the famous Jamaican athletes who has played in the Premier League. He helped stoke city rise to the top tier of English competition and reach the FA Cup finals in 2011.

18. Mike McCallum

• Age: 66 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Boxer
• Achievements: WBA super welterweight, WBA middleweight, WBC light heavyweight

Which is the most popular sport in America? Top 12 revealed

Other Sports

Of course, the legendary boxer Mike McCallum is on the list of Jamaican athletes and among the few who have been inducted into the International Hall of Fame. He is best known for holding three world champion titles in different boxing categories.

17. Andre Russell

• Age: 35 years of age as of August 2023
• Profession: Cricketer
• Achievements: ICC World T20 champion

The legendary cricketer rose to fame when he played as a West Indian all-rounder. He is the second record holder for scoring a century and a hat trick in a T20 match.

16. Trevor Berbick

• Age: Died at 52
• Profession: Boxer
• Achievements: WBC heavyweight champion

Trevor is among the few legends in the world who clashed head-to-head with the legendary Mohamed Ali and walked out of the ring with a win. He held the WBC heavy title in 1986 but unfortunately lost it to Mike Tyson.

Best footballers' tattoos: Which soccer player has the best ink?

Football

15. Courtney Walsh

• Age: 60 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Cricketer
• Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year, ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

The former Jamaican cricketer, Courtney Walsh, played for the West Indies team and was regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers ever. In his career, he held the record for most Test wickets after he broke the record of Kapil Dev.

14. Asafa Powell

• Age: 40 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: Olympic games gold medallist, 2-times World Championships medallist

Asafa, one of the best Jamaican athletes, is known for setting twice the 100 metres world record. He rose to fame after winning the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics gold medal.

13. Chris Gayle

• Age: 43 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Cricketer
• Achievements: ICC Champions Trophy, 2-times ICC World Twenty20

Who is the strongest man in the world? Top 20 as of 2024

Athletics

Chris Gayle is one of the world's best cricket players and the most capped West Indian player globally. He is the leading scorer with a double-century in ODIs.

12. Yohan Blake

• Age: 33 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: 2-times Olympic Games and World championships gold medallist

Aside from being the youngest 100 metres world champion, Yohan is one of the most famous Jamaican athletes in 2023. He won gold medals in the World Championships and the Olympics and is ranked the second-fastest man in the 100 and 200-metre races.

11. Shawn Rhoden

• Age: Died at 46
• Profession: Bodybuilder
• Achievements: 2018 Mr Olympia champion

Shawn was one of the Jamaican bodybuilders who competed in the IFBB professionally and won the 2018 Mr Olympia contest by defeating Phil Heath, a seven-time champion. The famous legend succumbed to a heart attack in November 2021.

Who are the 15 worst goalkeepers of all time? 2023 global ranking

Football

10. John Barnes

• Age: 59 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Football manager, author, commentator, former professional footballer
• Achievements: 2-time Football League First Division, 2-time FA Cup

John Barnes is one of the best Jamaican athletes in history. He has played for the famous Premier League club, winning the FA Cup and Football League First Division twice. He was considered one of the best wingers ever to grace the pitch in British soccer history.

9. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

• Age: 36 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: 5-time 100 metres and 2-time 200 metres world champion

Shelly-Ann is among the greatest Jamaican female athletes of all time. With a height of 152 centimetres, she became the first Caribbean athlete to conquer the 100 metres title.

The renowned legend made headlines whenever she participated in the Olympics, and in 2013 she took home three gold medals and was named the Athlete of the Year.

Who are the 10 best Mexican soccer players of all time?

Football

8. Patrick Ewing

• Age: 62 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Basketball coach, former professional NBA player
• Achievements: 11-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA First Team

Jamaican legend Patrick Ewing played for several NBA teams and was a force to reckon with in the sport's history. In his career, he scored 24,815 points and had 11,617 rebounds, and to date, he is still the Knick's all-time score leader.

7. Donald Quarrie

• Age: 72 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: 100 metres gold medallist, 200 metres silver medallist

In the 70s, Donald was considered the world's speed king since he took home four medals in the Olympic games. At the British commonwealth games, he was ranked as the decade's leader when he bagged nine medals.

6. Herb McKenly

• Age: Died at 85
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: Olympic Games gold medallist, 3-times Olympic Games silver medallist

The top 10 best American tennis players of all time: Ranked list

Tennis

Herb was one of the greatest Jamaican male athletes of all time and is considered the pioneer of Caribbean sprinters. He went down in history as the first Jamaican to get a scholarship in a United States of America university since he was a legend in the 200 and 400-metre runs.

5. Chili Davis

• Age: 63 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Former professional baseball player, coach
• Achievements: 3-times All-Star and World Series champion

Davis, a baseball coach, was one of the Great Jamaican athletes who played in Major League Baseball for 19 seasons. He debuted his career in the MLB with the San Francisco Giants and ended it with the Yankees, and in doing so, he won three World Series rings.

4. Veronica Campbell Brown

• Age: 41 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: 8-times Olympic medallist, 3-times gold medallist

Who are the 10 most famous US gymnasts in the world currently?

Olympics

Veronica was one of the most successful sprinters and one of the best Jamaican female athletes. In 2007, she was ranked as the world's top female athlete after bagging the 100 metres title.

3. Arthur Wint

• Age: Died at 72
• Profession: Track and field sprinter, physician, High Commissioner
• Achievements: 2-times Olympics gold and silver medals

Arthur was a legend and a pioneer in the Jamaican running industry. He went down in history as the first Jamaican to hit the track and the first to stand on the Olympics podium after bagging numerous awards for his country.

2. Merlene Ottey

• Age: 63 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: 9 Olympics games medals, 14 World Championships medals

Marlene, often referred to as the queen of tracks, is one of the best Jamaican athletes who have sealed their names in the history books. She has bagged 23 medals at the Olympics and the world championship in her 25-year career.

Who is the greatest soccer player of all time? Let’s finally settle this debate

Football

1. Usain Bolt

• Age: 36 years of age (as of August 2023)
• Profession: Track and field sprinter
• Achievements: 8-time Olympics and 11-time World Championships gold medallist

Ever wondered who is the greatest Jamaican athlete in the country's history? Usain Bolt is the answer. Aside from being the most famous, he is also the world's record holder in the 100-metre races.

The renowned legend took home eight Olympic titles and eleven world crowns, among other awards and achievements in his career.

Why are Jamaican athletes so fast?

The key to why Jamaican athletes are fast lies in their generics. According to scientific studies from various sources, it was concluded that with their genetics, they have fast twitch muscles compared to other people and thus are fast over short distances.

Who is Jamaica's most successful male athlete?

The title goes to the legendary Usain Bolt, one of the greatest athletes of all time and the current record holder in the men's 100-metre races.

A top 10 list of the best female chess players at the moment

Other Sports

How many gold medals has Jamaica won in the Olympics?

As of 2023, Jamaica has taken home 26 Olympic Games gold medals, 63 silver medals, and 25 bronze medals.

Jamaican athletes have not only represented their nation but have also been signed by various clubs from different nations to represent them, especially in football, basketball and baseball. However, these sportsmen/women shine the reputation of their home country with their incredible achievements and accomplishments on the world's podium.

READ ALSO: Who are the top 10 best college basketball teams ever?

Sports Brief has compiled a list of the top 10 best basketball teams ever. Basketball is among the most famous sports worldwide and has a substantial fan base.

College basketball in the United States has risen to popularity recently with years of culture and producing the best players in the basketball arena. Click the link above to find out more about college basketball.