athlete

• noun 1 a person who is good at sports. 2 a person who competes in track and field events.

— ORIGIN Greek athletes, from athlon ‘prize’.
From the oxford dictionary, well the compact version.

I would say that they are not athletes, neither are football players.

As for the greatest athletes on the face of the earth, I take it your a racing fan? Wouldn't fast jet pilots be better then them by your reckoning.