China and Russia top more sport groups than USA in 2014

AQUATICS (Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Diving, Water Polo)

 

China, runners-up since 2011, have slipped past the USA, who took the title in the three previous years. Australia sits once again in 3^rd place, while Canada (4^th) and Serbia (5^th) both recorded their best-ever performance. NB) No Swimming points awarded in 2014.

 

 

COMBAT SPORTS (Amateur Boxing, Judo, Taekwondo, Free and Greco-Roman Wrestling, Fencing)

 

Russia repeated their 2013 success in style. Despite the ascendance of Iran and the USA, countries of the old Soviet bloc in the top 20 increased their share of points from 34.4% last year to 40.7% in 2014.

 

 

WATER SPORTS (Sailing, Rowing, Canoe/Kayak Sprint & Slalom, Surfing, Bodyboarding)

 

Wind, oar, paddle and wave-propelled, German athletes repeated their 2013 victory and managed to edge past France and Great Britain, who both improved on their previous year’s positions (8^th and 6^th respectively).

 

RACQUET SPORTS (Tennis, Badminton, Table Tennis, Squash, Racquetball)

 

China repeated their 2013 victory, despite a strong late rally by first-time Tennis Davis Cup winners Switzerland.

 

 

 TARGET SPORTS (Shooting, Archery)

 

Last year’s winners South Korea were rather off-target in 2014, when former runners-up China hit bullseye.

 

 

 

CYCLING (Road, Track, Mountain Bike, BMX)

 

In a reshuffle of last year’s top four positions, France narrowly beat Great Britain and former winners Australia to the finishing line.

 

 

 

 

In the second richest group points-wise, awarding 21.7% of all GSN points for the year, Winter Olympics hosts and winners Russia took the title, while Canada improved one position, snatching second place from last year’s winners USA. The share of Alpine and Scandinavian countries was 17.9% and 19.0% respectively, in both cases down compared to last year.

 

 

 

BALL TEAM SPORTS (Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Beach Volley, Hockey, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Cricket, Softball, Netball, Korfball, Lacrosse, Futsal)

 

You may have noticed that Global Cup winners USA did not top any of the 2014 sports groups listed so far. They saved their punch for the big one, the group awarding 29.5% of all GSN points for the year… and they kicked, passed, threw, spiked and clubbed balls all over the place to rise from 10^th position last year and narrowly defeat former winners Brazil.