Welcome to the World Cup of Sportspeople! With the Women's Football World Cup in full swing just finished and the Men's World Cup being a resounding success last year, we'll be following on with a tournament, not of countries, but of the sports-men and women themselves. This contest is designed to select the greatest sportspeople from each continent through a number of rounds, selecting the best of the best, and pitting them together to show who we really think is the best sportsperson of them all!

This is the Voting stage for North America. We received 109 different nominations in all - taking away our auto-qualifier, Usain Bolt, this gives us two groups of 54 players. Here's how this stage is going to work.

- You can vote for up to 25 sportspeople, but you must vote for at least 10.
- You must rank your votes in order of preference, either by numbering or by the standard Buzzjack +25, +24 ... +1 (Or down to however many you vote for)
- You must vote for sportspeople from at least three different sports
- You must vote for at least one male and one female sportsperson.
- Each sportsperson has been given a short description of their major achievements to make it easier for you to make up your mind.
- The four sportspeople with the most votes in each group will advance to the Final. The fifth-placed person with the most points across the groups will also advance, whilst the rest of the Top 10 will advance to the Intercontinental Playoffs. Everyone else will be booted out.

Group 1
Michelle Akers (USA - Football - Won two World Cups with USA, won the Golden Boot in 1991)
Muhammad Ali (USA - Boxing - Won 56 out of 61 fights, won Gold at the 1960 Olympics)
Mario Andretti (USA - Motor Racing - Won the 1978 Championship, 12 Grand Prix wins)
Henry Armstrong (USA - Boxing - Won 151 of 181 fights)
Donovan Bailey (Canada - Athletics - Two Olympic golds, three World Championship golds)
Yohann Blake (Jamaica - Athletics - Two Olympic relay golds, two World Championship golds)
Ato Boldon (Trinidad and Tobago - Athletics - 1997 World Championship gold, 2000 Olympic silver)
Tori Bowie (USA - Athletics - 2016 Olympic gold, two World Championship golds)
Tom Brady (USA - American Football - Won six of nine Super Bowls, the most of any player in NFL history)
Jimmy Connors (USA -Tennis - 8 Grand Slam wins, won 109 career titles)
Pauline Davis-Thompson (Bahamas - Athletics - Won two Olympic Golds, 1999 World Championship gold)
Gail Devers (USA - Athletics - 3 Olympic golds, nine World Championship golds)
Joe DiMaggio (USA - Baseball - 56-game hitting streak, won American League 10 times with New York Yankees)
Dale Earnhardt (USA - Motor Racing - Won 76 NASCAR Cup races, 21 Xfinity races)
Chris Evert (USA - Tennis - Won 18 Grand Slam titles, 157 career titles)
Joel Garner (Barbados - Cricket - helped West Indies remain undefeated in Test matched for 15 years, highest ranked ODI bowler)
Chris Gayle (Jamaica - Cricket - Captained West Indies from 2007 to 2010, only player to score a triplet of centuries)
Mia Hamm (USA - Won the Olympics twice and the Women's World Cup twice, held the record for most international goals)
Desmond Haynes (Barbados - 7487 runs in 116 matches, scored a century on his ODI debut)
Phil Hill (USA - Motor Racing - Won 1961 Championship, 3 Grand Prix wins)
Evander Holyfield (USA - Boxing - Won 44 of 57 fights, 29 by KO)
Kirani James (Granada - Athletics - Won 2012 Olympic gold, 2011 World Championship gold)
LeBron James (USA - Basketball - Won three NBA championships, three MVP awards and two Olympic golds)
Michael Johnson (USA - Athletics - Won 4 Olympic golds, 8 World Championship golds)
Michael Jordan (USA - Basketball - Won 6 NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, won five MVP awards)
Marie-Michèle Gagnon (Canada - Skiing - Won the 2014 Combined season)
Greg LeMond (USA - Cycling - Won Tour de France 3 times, three World Championship golds)
Joe Louis (USA - Boxing - Won 16 of 20 fights, 14 by KO)
Rocky Marciano (USA - Boxing - won 49 of 49 fights, 43 by KO)
Rafael Marquez (Mexico - Football - Won Ligue 1 title with Monaco, won Champions League with Barcelona)
Floyd Mayweather Jr (USA - Boxing - Won 50 of 50 fights, 27 by KO)
Phil Mickelson (USA - Golf - Won 5 Major Championships, 50 professional wins)
Bode Miller (USA - Skiing - Won 2010 Olympic gold and 4 World Championship golds, won 33 World Cup races)
Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bahamas - Athletics - Won 2016 Olympic Gold, 2015 World Championship silver)
Avard Moncur (Bahamas - Athletics - 2008 Olympic silver, two World Championship golds)
Martina Navratilova (Won 18 Grand Slam singles and 31 Grand Slam doubles titles, 168 Singles career titles and 186 Doubles titles)
Shaquille O'Neal (USA - Basketball - Won three consecutive NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, won the 1999-2000 MVP Award)
John Part (Canada - Darts - Won 1994 Major World Championship, two Premier World Championship titles)
Ivan Pedroso (Cuba - Athletics - 2000 Olympic gold, won 9 World Championship golds)
Sergio Perez (Mexico - Motor Racing - 8 Grand Prix podiums)
Daimi Pernia (Cuba - Athletics - Won 1999 World Championships and 1999 Pan American games)
Michael Phelps (USA - Swimming - Won 23 Olympic golds, 27 World Championship golds)
Don Quarrie (Jamaica - 1976 Olympic gold, 6 Commonwealth golds)
Roni Remme (Canada - Skiing - 2019 World Cup Combined silver)
Viv Richards (Antigua and Barbuda - Cricket - Scored 8,540 runs in 121 matches, voted as the third greatest Test batsman of all time)
Andy Roberts (Antigua and Barbuda - Twice took seven wickets in a Test innings, first Antiguan to play Test cricket for the West Indies)
Babe Ruth (USA - Baseball - Set a number of MLB records, won World Series 7 times)
Pete Sampras (USA - Tennis - Won 14 Grand Slam titles, 64 career titles)
Garfield Sobers (Barbados - Cricket - Captained the West Indies from 1965 to 1972, considered to be cricket's greatest all-rounder)
Mike Tyson (USA - Boxing - Won 50 of 58 fights, 44 by KO)
Courtney Walsh (Jamaica - Cricket - Captained the West Indies in 22 Test matches, held the record of most Test wickets)
Serena Williams (USA - Tennis - Won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, won 72 career titles)
Michael Woods (Canada - Cycling - Finished 7th in the 2017 Vuelta)
Tiger Woods (USA - Golf - Won 15 Major championships, 108 professional wins)

The deadline is 23:59 Monday 5th July. Get voting!

Copy-paste list without brackets:

 

Michelle Akers

Muhammad Ali

Mario Andretti

Henry Armstrong

Donovan Bailey

Yohann Blake

Ato Boldon

Tori Bowie

Tom Brady

Jimmy Connors

Pauline Davis-Thompson

Gail Devers

Joe DiMaggio

Dale Earnhardt

Chris Evert

Joel Garner

Chris Gayle

Mia Hamm

Desmond Haynes

Phil Hill

Evander Holyfield

Kirani James

LeBron James

Michael Johnson

Michael Jordan

Marie-Michèle Gagnon

Greg LeMond

Joe Louis

Rocky Marciano

Rafael Marquez

Floyd Mayweather Jr

Phil Mickelson

Bode Miller

Shaunae Miller-Uibo

Avard Moncur

Martina Navratilova

Shaquille O'Neal

John Part

Ivan Pedroso

Sergio Perez

Daimi Pernia

Michael Phelps

Don Quarrie

Roni Remme

Viv Richards

Andy Roberts

Babe Ruth

Pete Sampras

Garfield Sobers

Mike Tyson

Courtney Walsh

Serena Williams

Michael Woods

Tiger Woods

25- Muhammad Ali

24- Martina Navratilova

23- Michael Phelps

22- Pete Sampras

21- Michael Jordan

20- Jimmy Connors

19- Garfield Sobers

18- Mike Tyson

17- Serena Williams

16- Tiger Woods

15- Rocky Marciano

14- Michael Johnson

13- Floyd Mayweather Jr

12- Evander Holyfield

11- Courtney Walsh

10- Greg LeMond

9- Gail Devers

8- Chris Gayle

7- Dale Earnhardt

6- Kirani James

5- Donovan Bailey

4- Bode Miller

3- Chris Evert

2- Viv Richards

1- John Part

This was really difficult. I think most of the best ones from this region have been drawn in the first of the two groups.

 

25pts - Garfield Sobers

24 - Muhammad Ali

23 - Michael Phelps

22 - Martina Navratilova

21 - Michael Johnson

20 - Viv Richards

19 - Rocky Marciano

18 - Serena Williams

17 - Chris Evert

16 - Michael Jordan

15 - Pete Sampras

14 - Courtney Walsh

13 - Andy Roberts

12 - Jimmy Connors

11 - Floyd Mayweather Jr

10 - Tiger Woods

9 - Gail Devers

8 - Desmond Haynes

7 - Joe Louis

6 - Joel Garner

5 - Babe Ruth

4 - Chris Gayle

3 - Joe DiMaggio

2 - Donovan Bailey

1 - Henry Armstrong

 

+25 Muhammad Ali

+24 Serena Williams

+23 Martina Navratilova

+22 Chris Evert

+21 Pete Sampras

+20 Babe Ruth

+19 Michael Phelps

+18 Joe DiMaggio

+17 Jimmy Connors

+16 Don Quarrie

+15 Joe Louis

+14 Michael Jordan

+13 Rocky Marciano

+12 Tiger Woods

+11 Shaquille O'Neal

 

Just gone for those I know of well...

25- Muhammad Ali

24- Rocky Marciano

23- Mario Andretti

22- Martina Navaratilova

21- Viv Richards

20- Dale Earnhardt

19- Tom Brady

18- Joe DiMaggio

17- Garfield Sobers

16- Michael Johnson

15- Floyd Mayweather Jr

14- Serena Williams

13- Courtney Walsh

12- Babe Ruth

11- Pete Sampras

10- Donovan Bailey

09- Michael Phelps

08- Mike Tyson

07- Tiger Woods

06- Chris Evert

05- Gail Devers

04- Mia Hamm

03- Greg Lemond

02- Don Quarrie

01- Michelle Akers

 

+25 Greg LeMond

+24 Martina Navratilova

+23 Bode Miller

+22 Muhammad Ali

+21 Michael Phelps

+20 Serena Williams

+19 Garfield Sobers

+18 Pete Sampras

+17 Rocky Marciano

+16 Ivan Pedroso

+15 Chris Evert

+14 Yohann Blake

+13 Joe DiMaggio

+12 Viv Richards

+11 Mike Tyson

+10 Henry Armstrong

+9 Joel Garner

+8 Rafael Marquez

+7 Jimmy Connors

+6 Michael Johnson

+5 Kirani James

+4 Pauline Davis-Thompson

+3 Marie-Michèle Gagnon

+2 Gail Devers

+1 Shaunae Miller-Uibo

25+ Muhammad Ali

24+ Martina Navratilova

23+ Serena Williams

22+ Greg LeMond

21+ Michael Phelps

20+ Chris Evert

19+ Joe DiMaggio

18+ Rocky Marciano

17+ Michelle Akers

16+ Tiger Woods

15+ Dale Earnhardt

14+ Pete Sampras

13+ Tom Brady

12+ Michael Johnson

11+ Michael Jordan

10+ Yohann Blake

9+ Phil Mickelson

8+ LeBron James

7+ Floyd Mayweather

6+ Donovan Bailey

5+ Jimmy Connors

4+ Viv Richards

3+ Bode Miller

2+ Rafael Marquez

1+ Shaquille O'Neal

RESULTS

Finalists:
Muhammad Ali
Martina Navaratilova
Michael Phelps
Serena Williams

Advance to Playoffs:
Joe DiMaggio
Dale Earnhardt
Chris Evert
Michael Johnson
Pete Sampras
Garfield Sobers


Eliminated:
(4th: 116pts)
(10th: 69pts)
62 Michael Jordan
61 Jimmy Connors
61 Tiger Woods
60 Greg LeMond
59 Viv Richards
46 Floyd Mayweather Jr
37 Mike Tyson
37 Babe Ruth
32 Tom Brady
30 Bode Miller
25 Gail Devers
24 Yohann Blake
23 Mario Andretti
23 Donovan Bailey
22 Joe Louis
18 Don Quarrie
18 Michelle Akers
16 Ivan Pedroso
15 Joel Garner
13 Andy Roberts
12 Evander Holyfield
12 Shaquille O'Neal
12 Chris Gayle
11 Henry Armstrong
11 Kirani James
10 Rafael Marquez
9 Phil Mickelson
8 Desmond Haynes
8 LeBron James
4 Mia Hamm
4 Pauline Davis-Thompson
3 Marie-Michèle Gagnon
1 Shaunae Miller-Uibo
1 John Part

A very lop-sided draw produces a very American Top 10, with all of the Top 4 and nine of the Top 10 being from that country. Remember that the 5th placed player could still make it through!

That was the group of death. Some big names going out there. I think we got the top 4 right though.

Pleasantly surprised to see NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt make the playoffs. Indeed some big names gone, thought Tiger would make it.

Pleasantly surprised to see NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt make the playoffs.

Same here. Particularly as Andretti (probably the most successful and versatile racing driver in history, except maybe AJ Foyt), didn't.