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.

Andre Agassi (USA - Tennis - 8 Grand Slam titles, 60 career titles)
Curtly Ambrose (Antigua and Barbuda - Cricket - Topped ICC Player Rankings for much of his career, considered to be one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time)
Joel Campbell (Costa Rica - Football - 80 caps for Costa Rica, reached Quarter-Finals of World Cup)
Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica - Athletics - 3 Olympic golds, 5 World Championship golds)
Julio Cesar Chavez (Mexico - Boxing - Won 107 of 115 fights, 86 by KO)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Guyana - Cricket - Captained West Indies cricket team, 8th highest Test run scorer of all time)
Brandi Chastain (USA - Football - Won Women's World Cup twice, won two Olympic golds)
Kim Collins (St Kitts & Nevis - Athletics - 2003 World Championship gold, 2002 Commonwealth gold)
Andre De Grasse (Canada - Athletics - 2016 Olympic silver, won two Pan American golds)
Allyson Felix (USA - Athletics - Six Olympic golds, 11 World Indoor Championship golds)
Debbie Ferguson (Bahamas - Athletics - 2000 Olympic gold, won two World Championship golds)
Ana Fidelia Quirot (Cuba - Athletics - 1996 Olympic silver, won two World Championship golds and 8 American games golds)
George Foreman (USA - Boxing - Won 76 of 81 fights, 68 by KO, 1968 Olympic gold)
AJ Foyt (USA - Motor Racing - Won 12 major driving championships, won IndyCar a record seven times, a record 138 USAC wins, only driver to win Le Mans/Indianapolis in the same year)
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica - Athletics - Two Olympic golds, seven World Championship golds)
Joe Frazier (USA - Won 32 of 37 fights, 27 by KO, 1964 Olympic gold)
Jeff Gordon (USA - Motor Racing - 93 NASCAR cup wins, won series 4 times)
Maurice Greene (USA - Athletics - Two Olympic golds, 5 World Championship golds)
Gordon Greenidge (Barbados - Cricket - Scored 7,558 runs in 108 Test matches)
Wayne Gretsky (Canada - Ice Hockey - Leading scorer in NHL history, only player to total over 200 points in one season)
Javier Hernandez (Mexico - Football - mexico's all-time leading goalscorer, won Premier League with Manchester United)
Michael Holding (Jamaica - Cricket - Broke the record for best bowling figures in a match by a West Indies bowler)
Billie Jean King (USA - Won 12 Grand Slam titles, 129 career titles)
Allen Johnson (USA - Athletics - 1996 Olympic gold, won 4 World Championship medals)
Florence Griffith Joiner (USA - Athletics - Three Olympic golds, 1987 World Championship gold)
Brian Lara (Trinidad and Tobago - Cricket - Holds record for highest individual score in first-class cricket, shares Test record of highest number of runs in a single over in a Test match)
Ivan Lendl (USA - Tennis - 8 Grand Slam titles, 94 career titles)
Carl Lewis (USA - Athletics - 9 Olympic golds, 8 World Championship golds)
Sonny Liston (USA - Boxing - Won 50 of 54 fights)
Clive Lloyd (Guyana - Cricket - Captained West Indies between 1974 and 1985, had a run of 27 undefeated matches as captain)
Dan Marino (USA - American Football - Won 1984 NFL MVP, regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks)
Malcolm Marshall (Barbados - Cricket - Best Test Bowling Average of anyone who has taken more than 200 wickets)
John McEnroe (USA - Tennis - Won 7 Grand Slam titles, 77 career titles)
Joe Montana (USA - American Football - NFL MVP in 1989 and 1990, had the highest passer rating five times)
Joe Namath (USA - American Football - Super Bowl III MVP, MVP twice)
Jack Nicklaus (USA - Golf - Won 18 Major Championships, 73 PGA Tour wins)
Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico - Football - Won CONACAF Gold Cup 3 times with Mexico, in four World Cup squads)
Jesse Owens (USA - Athletics - Won four Golds at the 1936 Olympics)
Arnold Palmer (USA - Golf - 7 major wins, 62 PGA tour wins)
Dwight Phillips (USA - Athletics - 2004 Olympic gold, 4 World Championship golds)
Mike Powell (USA - Athletics - Two Olympic silvers, two World Championship golds)
Sugar Ray Robinson (USA - Boxing - Won 173 of 202 fights, 108 by KO)
Andy Roddick (USA - Tennis - Won 2003 US Open, 32 career titles)
Bryan Ruiz (Costa Rica - Football - Reached quarter-finals of 2014 World Cup, scored 26 goals for Costa Rica)
Felix Sanchez (Dominican Republic - Athletics - Two Olympic golds, two World Championship golds)
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA - Skiing - Two Olympic golds, 5 World Championship golds)
Mark Spitz (USA - Swimming - Nine Olympic golds, 5 Pan American golds)
Elaine Thompson (Jamaica - Athletics - Two Olympic golds, 2015 World Championship golds)
Jacques Villeneuve (Canada - Motor Racing - Won 1997 Championship, 11 Grand Prix wins)
Gilles Villeneuve (Canada - Motor Racing - 6 Grand Prix wins, 13 podiums)
Everton Weekes (Barbados - Cricket - Eighth highest batting average of all players)
Venus Williams (USA - Tennis - Won 7 Grand Slam titles, 49 career titles)
Tonique Williams-Darling (Bahamas - Athletics - 2004 Olympic gold, 2005 World Championship gold)
Dwight Yorke (Trinidad and Tobago - Football - Set record for most goals by a non-European in the Premier League, won Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 1999)

The deadline is 23:59 Sunday 11th August. Get voting!

Copy-paste list without descriptions:

Andre Agassi

Curtly Ambrose

Joel Campbell

Veronica Campbell-Brown

Julio Cesar Chavez

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Brandi Chastain

Kim Collins

Andre De Grasse

Allyson Felix

Debbie Ferguson

Ana Fidelia Quirot

George Foreman

AJ Foyt

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Joe Frazier

Jeff Gordon

Maurice Greene

Gordon Greenidge

Wayne Gretsky

Javier Hernandez

Michael Holding

Billie Jean King

Allen Johnson

Florence Griffith Joiner

Brian Lara

Ivan Lendl

Carl Lewis

Sonny Liston

Clive Lloyd

Dan Marino

Malcolm Marshall

John McEnroe

Joe Montana

Joe Namath

Jack Nicklaus

Guillermo Ochoa

Jesse Owens

Arnold Palmer

Dwight Phillips

Mike Powell

Sugar Ray Robinson

Andy Roddick

Bryan Ruiz

Felix Sanchez

Mikaela Shiffrin

Mark Spitz

Elaine Thompson

Jacques Villeneuve

Gilles Villeneuve

Everton Weekes

Venus Williams

Tonique Williams-Darling

Dwight Yorke

25pts - Brian Lara

24 - Jack Nicklaus

23 - Malcolm Marshall

22 - Carl Lewis

21 - Billie Jean King

20 - Everton Weekes

19 - Jesse Owens

18 - Curtly Ambrose

17 - Sugar Ray Robinson

16 - Clive Lloyd

15 - Ivan Lendl

14 - Michael Holding

13 - John McEnroe

12 - Sonny Liston

11 - Andre Agassi

10 - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

9 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul

8 - Allyson Felix

7 - Gordon Greenidge

6 - Wayne Gretsky

5 - Venus Williams

4 - George Foreman

3 - Mark Spitz

2 - Arnold Palmer

1 - Joe Frazier

AJ Foyt (USA - Motor Racing - Won 7 NASCAR Cup races)

 

 

I hate to be picky but that's a pretty harsh major achievement description. What about his 12 major championship titles which includes 7 Indycar titles with a record 63 wins including 5 Indy 500 wins, 2 IROC championships, 2 x International Race of Champions wins and victories at Le Mans 24 hours, Daytona 500 and 24hrs and the Sebring 12hrs?

 

I know he's surprisingly little known over here but the man's a living legend and his record is far better than a handful of NASCAR wins.

 

Again I don't mean to be picky but it's slightly misleading

Updated it now, sorry about that. When I've got to write descriptions about 50+ people in a fairly short space of time then I generally go with the most prominent things on Wikipedia which means I can miss fairly important things, in his case the most prominent thing on his profile is the NASCAR wins, a few of the other things are there but they're in much smaller writing and when I've got a ton more to do I don't always have enough time to read it. Hope the new description is okay!

Updated it now, sorry about that. When I've got to write descriptions about 50+ people in a fairly short space of time then I generally go with the most prominent things on Wikipedia which means I can miss fairly important things, in his case the most prominent thing on his profile is the NASCAR wins, a few of the other things are there but they're in much smaller writing and when I've got a ton more to do I don't always have enough time to read it. Hope the new description is okay!

Yeah of course. Like I said I didn't mean to criticise and I probably should have added that I'm really enjoying this idea, it's been excellent and you're doing a fantastic job and I appreciate it's a lot of hard work.

25pts - Jesse Owens

24 - Carl Lewis

23 - AJ Foyt

22 - Gilles Villeneuve

21 - Mark Spitz

20 - Dan Marino

19 - Brian Lara

18 - Jeff Gordon

17 - Sonny Liston

16 - Joe Frazier

15 - George Foreman

14 - Jacques Villeneuve

13 - John McEnroe

12 - Curtly Ambrose

11 - Billie Jean King

10 - Florence Griffith Joiner

9 - Venus Williams

8 - Julio Cesar Chavez

7 - Wayne Gretsky

6 - Joe Namath

5 - Arnold Palmer

4 - Dwight Yorke

3 - Sugar Ray Robinson

2 - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

1 - Allen Johnson

 

+25 Jesse Owens

+24 Javier Hernandez

+23 AJ Foyt

+22 Mikaela Shiffrin

+21 Brian Lara

+20 Billie Jean King

+19 Dwight Yorke

+18 Andre Agassi

+17 Jeff Gordon

+16 Curtly Ambrose

+15 Allyson Felix

+14 Julio Cesar Chavez

+13 Guillermo Ochoa

+12 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

+11 Jack Nicklaus

+10 Veronica Campbell-Brown

+9 Mark Spitz

+8 Clive Lloyd

+7 Ivan Lendl

+6 Venus Williams

+5 Carl Lewis

+4 Wayne Gretsky

+3 George Foreman

+2 John McEnroe

+1 Joel Campbell

25+ Jack Nicklaus

24+ AJ Foyt

23+ Mark Spitz

22+ Brian Lara

21+ Ivan Lendl

20+ Billie Jean King

19+ Carl Lewis

18+ Allyson Felix

17+ Curtly Ambrose

16+ George Foreman

15+ Jeff Gordon

14+ John McEnroe

13+ Jacques Villeneuve

12+ Joe Montana

11+ Andre Agassi

10+ Julio Cesar Chavez

9+ Dan Marino

8+ Venus Williams

7+ Dwight Yorke

6+ Allen Johnson

5+ Jesse Owens

4+ Gilles Villeneuve

3+ Sugar Ray Robinson

2+ Brandi Chastain

1+ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

+25 Billie Jean King

+24 Mark Spitz

+23 John McEnroe

+22 Jesse Owens

+21 Venus Williams

+20 Carl Lewis

+19 Andre Agassi

+18 Joe Namath

+17 Sugar Ray Robinson

+16 Joe Frazier

+15 Jack Nicklaus

+14 Sonny Liston

+13 Ivan Lendl

+12 Brian Lara

+11 Florence Griffith Joiner

+10 George Foreman

+9 Arnold Palmer

+8 Andy Roddick

+7 Jacques Villeneuve

+6 Clive Lloyd

+5 Wayne Gretsky

 

 

 

25- Brian Lara

24- Mark Spitz

23- Jack Nicklaus

22- John McEnroe

21- Joe Montana

20- Jesse Owens

19- Billie Jean King

18- Andre Agassi

17- Carl Lewis

16- Veronica Campbell-Brown

15- Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

14- Elaine Thompson

13- Maurice Greene

12- Andy Roddick

11- AJ Foyt

10- Venus Williams

9- Gilles Villeneuve

8- Arnold Palmer

7- Allyson Felix

6- George Foreman

5- Mike Powell

4- Sugar Ray Robinson

3- Ivan Lendl

2- Joe Namath

1- Jacques Villeneuve

RESULTS

Finalists:
Billie Jean King
Carl Lewis
Brian Lara
Jesse Owens
Mark Spitz

Advance to Playoffs:
Andre Agassi
Curtly Ambrose
AJ Foyt
Jack Nicklaus
John McEnroe


Eliminated:
(4th: 107pts)
(10th: 63pts)
59 Ivan Lendl
59 Venus Williams
54 George Foreman
50 Jeff Gordon
48 Allyson Felix
44 Sugar Ray Robinson
43 Sonny Liston
40 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
35 Jacques Villeneuve
35 Gilles Villeneuve
33 Joe Frazier
33 Joe Montana
32 Julio Cesar Chavez
30 Dwight Yorke
30 Clive Lloyd
29 Dan Marino
26 Veronica Campbell-Brown
26 Joe Namath
24 Javier Hernandez
24 Arnold Palmer
23 Malcolm Marshall
22 Wayne Gretsky
22 Mikaela Shiffrin
21 Florence Griffith Joiner
20 Everton Weekes
20 Andy Roddick
14 Michael Holding
14 Elaine Thompson
13 Guillermo Ochoa
13 Maurice Greene
9 Shivnarine Chanderpaul
7 Gordon Greenidge
7 Allen Johnson
5 Mike Powell
2 Brandi Chastain
1 Joel Campbell

So we have five people making it through this round as the fifth-placed person in this round had 104 points compared to 101 from the previous group (which may be a tad unfair looking at how stacked Group 1 is but we've still got the playoffs!) And we also have a non-American in Brian Lara making it through!