Arena Which sport has the greatest athletes?

The whole breathing when in water gets underrated.

 

My money is on hockey, for speed, endurance, precision, and toughness. I think that the only sports that have hockey beat for toughness are MMA and boxing, I think that only basketball and tennis compare in terms of speed, golf and tennis compare in terms of precision, and in terms of endurance only football (the real sport, not the American sport) and specific endurance sports like the marathon have hockey matched or beaten.

 

Track?

Track?


I'm glad you brought up MMA, I'd absolutely put those guys in the conversation depending on what we mean by "greatest athlete."

 

Fair point in the speed needed for track, but I did mention specific endurance sports like the marathon - I'd put the 5k, 10k races, triathlons, and the like into that grouping. Nothing against track, but while the speed requirements are high, the requirements are also extremely focused.

 

Figure skating or curling

 

In terms of the major team based sports, I'd say the best athletes in the NBA are absolute freaks in terms of blend of size, quickness, speed and strength, as well as the skill set involved with dribbling/passing/shooting.

In general, the best all around athletes are probably something like gymnasts or decathletes.

 

Quidditch. Easily.

 

[image=http://www.scifiupdates.com/main/images/stories/tv_series/battlestar_galactica/1978/photos/bsg_1978_triad.jpg]

 

Has to be soccer. Everyone knows that a Canadian soccer player named Brian Budd won World Superstars 3 years in a row in the late 1970s before being unjustly banned from competing (the 'Budd rule').

 

The first thought to pop in my head was Water Polo. I'm sticking with that.

 

Hot dog eating

 

I just noticed this...curious why you say football. I'd put rugby union and Australian rules football (at least until the tactical changes of the last few years) up against that in terms of endurance.

 

World's Strongest Man competition!