home > Sports > Athletes
Tags: sports, people in sports, athletes, baseball, basketball, Olympics, football, 2012, best of 2012
The Best Athletes of 2012
The best athletes of 2012 won Olympic gold medals, helped clinch team championships, broke world records and became some of the most admired athletes in the world. These athletic stars come from all sports and each offer something different to their adoring fans but they all accomplished incredible things during the 2012 calendar year. These are the best athletes of 2012.
With the 2012 London Summer Olympics the big highlight in the year in sports, it should be no surprise that many of 2012's best athletes were Olympic medalists. American swimmer Michael Phelps was easily the top athlete at the 2012 Summer Olympics when he brought home another six medals, bringing his career total to 22. But Phelps wasn't the only athlete to become an instant favorite at the 2012 games with sprinter Usain Bolt, tennis stars Andy Murray and Serena Williams and fellow swimmer Missy Franklin each winning big in their respective events.
There was much more to see than just the Olympics however with stars in the worlds of football, baseball, basketball and hockey, among other sports, dominating the action. Repeating their honors as top athletes of 2011, names like Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Justin Verlander, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, LeBron James, small forward for the Miami Heat, and Tiger Woods, pro golfer, all returned to see success again in 2012.
Selecting a top athlete for a calendar year is often a matter of opinion and fandom so if you see someone you think should be higher or lower, vote accordingly. Want to re-rank the list or add someone we missed, do all of that below and help us rank the best athletes of 2012.
Be sure to also check out the Biggest Sports Disappointments of 2012, Famous Sports Speeches and the Best Sports to Watch.
With the 2012 London Summer Olympics the big highlight in the year in sports, it should be no surprise that many of 2012's best athletes were Olympic medalists. American swimmer Michael Phelps was easily the top athlete at the 2012 Summer Olympics when he brought home another six medals, bringing his career total to 22. But Phelps wasn't the only athlete to become an instant favorite at the 2012 games with sprinter Usain Bolt, tennis stars Andy Murray and Serena Williams and fellow swimmer Missy Franklin each winning big in their respective events.
There was much more to see than just the Olympics however with stars in the worlds of football, baseball, basketball and hockey, among other sports, dominating the action. Repeating their honors as top athletes of 2011, names like Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Justin Verlander, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, LeBron James, small forward for the Miami Heat, and Tiger Woods, pro golfer, all returned to see success again in 2012.
Selecting a top athlete for a calendar year is often a matter of opinion and fandom so if you see someone you think should be higher or lower, vote accordingly. Want to re-rank the list or add someone we missed, do all of that below and help us rank the best athletes of 2012.
Be sure to also check out the Biggest Sports Disappointments of 2012, Famous Sports Speeches and the Best Sports to Watch.
4,213 voters +
18 reranks
see all
- 81Up 10Down 81
Matt Vickers
- 80Up 13Down 761988
- 79Up 72Down 170
tiger wood
- 78Up 23Down 901982
- 77Up 34Down 1021986
- 76Up 47Down 1201981
- 75Up 43Down 811973
- 74Up 55Down 1181985
- 73Up 19Down 861987
- 72Up 39Down 1181992
- 71Up 108Down 1981988
- 70Up 55Down 161
Jimmer Fredette
1989 - 69Up 101Down 1681986
- 68Up 114Down 1551988
- 67Up 1Down 2
Everett Golson
- 66Up 59Down 1771985
- 65Up 68Down 1711984
- 64Up 3Down 21985
- 63Up 2Down 41986
- 62Up 10Down 371983
- 61Up 2Down 2
Ryan Giggs
1973 - 60Up 1Down 3
Miguel Cabrear
- 59Up 96Down 119
Maria Sharapova
- 58Up 1Down 6
Ike Davis
1987 - 57Up 1Down 51986
- 56Up 4Down 6
Sandra Richards Ross
- 55Up 84Down 1931970
- 54Up 97Down 2131975
- 53Up 7Down 6
Micheal Phelps
- 52Up 4Down 5
Mike Carp
1986 - 51Up 168Down 3081975
- 50Up 8Down 4
Gabrielle Douglas
1995 - 49Up 6Down 91980
- 48Up 3Down 5
Virat Kohli
1988added by: NaveenBharathReddy - 47Up 8Down 121985
- 46Up 22Down 331985
- 45Up 106Down 1921981
- 44Up 1Down 1
Alex Morgan
1989added by: Jhair84 - 43Up 2Down 2
John Cena
added by: Jhair84 - 42Up 93Down 1961981
- 41Up 90Down 1901986
- 40Up 11Down 121987
- 39Up 9Down 101981
- 38Up 10Down 51985
- 37Up 97Down 2231978
- 36Up 131Down 165
Mike Trout
- 35Up 156Down 215
Bryce Harper
1992 - 34Up 113Down 2211985
- 33Up 184Down 2201987
- 32Up 39Down 27
Russel Wilsen
-
items 1 - 50 of 81
rerank this list your way embed list
what's a rerank? -
LOADING HISTORY
today on Ranker
start a list with results
close sorting window
Rank Name
use the search box to filter your list
leave a comment