The ten best nearly men

By all accounts, Tyson Gay should be the fastest man on the planet, the quickest sprinter the world has ever seen.

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Yet the American's timing has been awful, coinciding with the rise of Usain Bolt, whose feats on the track have at times been almost otherworldly. Despite his amazing ability, Gay has been pushed into the shadows by his Jamaican peer.

The history of sport is littered with stars who had to play second fiddle to some of the greatest, simply as a result of being born on the wrong date. Here, we count down the nearly men who at any other time would have been at the top of their game, but found themselves pushed into second place.