Celebrating national diversity in sport
The USA are the world’s greatest sporting nation. For the 8th time in eight consecutive GSN years. Russia are once again second behind them in the Global Cup ranking, and all the other major sporting nations are there in the top 10.
But besides ranking the world’s best sporting nations, GSN also offers a unique perspective on the national diversity that keeps world sports alive and kicking all over the planet.
In the course of the year, our indefatigable data monkeys have tracked the results of over 1,000 competitive events in 66 sports, and the results are staggering: no less than 134 out of the 215 nations we ‘recognise’ have scored GSN points.
This means that this year, athletes or teams from 134 different countries, from Albania to the West Indies and across all continents, have reached the last 8 in one major international tournament in at least one of the sports we track.
We would like to congratulate all of these athletes and countries, and thank them for proving once more that sport knows no boundaries and fair competition is a perennial source of personal and collective improvement.
Well done Jamaica for topping the Per Capita Cup as the world’s sportiest nation, well done Egypt for being the world’s best in Squash, New Zealand in Rugby Union, Belgium in Cyclocross, Cuba in Amateur Boxing, Sweden in Curling, Hungary in Canoe/Kayak Sprint, Brazil in Body Boarding and Beach Volleyball, Switzerland in Tennis and Orienteering, Norway in Biathlon and Cross Country Skiing, Austria in Alpine Skiing and Ski Jumping, South Korea in Archery, Short Track and Ten Pin Bowling, Spain in Basketball, Road Cycling and Triathlon and the Netherlands in BMX, Speedskating and Korfball.
Like 111 other point-scoring countries, these did not finish in the Global Cup top 10 but made the world’s sport better for their excellence and endeavour.
