Topics: Pele
What happens if sporting legends from four different sports compete in a 60-metre sprint race? Fans found out when Pelé, Wayne Gretzky, Björn Borg and Sugar Ray Leonard took part in one back in 1982, as one man came out a comfortable winner.
Back in 1982, the four sporting legends featured in a race for the World’s Sport Masters over a 60-metre distance in Gothenburg, Sweden.
At the time, former Brazil forward Pelé was 42 years old and had retired from playing professional football five years earlier.
Ice hockey icon Gretzky was just 21 at the time, while Borg and Leonard were both 26, which put Pelé at a significant disadvantage as the other three were arguably at the peak of their powers in their respective sports.
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Ahead of the race, all four men took their places on the start line before sprinting out of the blocks after a gunshot signalled the start.
Canadian Gretzky quickly took the lead, with Pelé in second, while Leonard and Borg struggled to keep pace at the back of the quartet.
The ice hockey legend finished well ahead of the pack and secured first place, while the other three battled for second position right up until the finish line.
Eleven-time Grand Slam winner Borg came second, before Pelé finished third, with Leonard finishing in last place.
A clip of the event resurfaced last week, with fans quick to offer their thoughts.
One said: “Pelé is 21 years older than Gretzky… Björn and Sugar play sports that don’t require running speed. This is not impressive.”
Another added: “I mean, Gretzky was 20 years younger than Pelé. I’d say the old man was doing pretty well to hang in there.”
A third claimed: “Never mind Pelé, Wayne wouldn’t beat any pro football (soccer) player if they were the same age. He wasn’t even the fastest on skates compared to other hockey players. Of course, he had other skills that made him the ‘Great One’, but not the greatest.”
While a fourth commented: "Great to see Wayne beat a bunch of old dudes, let’s try that again and have Wayne race Usain Bolt."
Gretzky also reportedly competed in a separate race against Swedish skiing champion Ingemar Stenmark and former Liverpool forward Kevin Keegan, which the Canadian also won.
