Great Britain and China fight back, Australia rise, USA firmly on top
July was the biggest month of the year to date in terms of points awarded in the Global Cup, the ranking of the world’s best sporting nations. Courtesy, among other things, of the Women’s Football World Cup, which saw the USA confirm their role as favourites and earn 600 points, remaining firmly at the top of the world ranking with a 1,104 points advantage over second-placed France.
While the latter country enjoyed yet another great month, with a first-ever victory in the men’s Volleyball World League worth 300 points, the news is that Great Britain and China have got back to winning ways – a welcome return after slumping considerably in the first six months of the year.
China won outright the Modern Pentathlon World Championships and put in a good performance at the Fencing World Championships (7th overall, after finishing 13th in 2013 and 8th in 2014). Given their strong August performance at the Swimming World Championships (full results on GSN soon), we expect them to continue rising. Canada, currently ahead of China in 5th place in the Global Cup with a 150 points advantage, aren’t sitting very comfortably.
Great Britain were a very creditable fourth in the monthly ranking. The highlights were Chris Froome’s victory at the Tour de France (Road Cycling), Team GB’s second place ahead of Hungary and Russia in the Modern Pentathlon World Championships, and the Lionesses earning a proud, and somewhat unlucky 3rd place in the Women’s Football World Cup.
Finally, full credit to Australia, who have gone one better than June and climbed to 7th place in the overall ranking, on par with their best ever Global Cup finish (in 2008). We predicted a strong second part of the year for them, and on current form, and given their performance at the Swimming World Championships in August, they could well be the year’s surprise in the top five. There are currently five nations within just over 300 points, from Russia in 3rd place to Australia in 7th, and the race behind the USA and France is very much on!
