USA wins Global Cup for 11th consecutive year
The USA is the 2018 Global Cup champion, winning the title of world’s best sporting nation for the 11th year in succession - in other words, ever since GSN records began.
The winning margin over second-placed France was 1,716 points, one of the slimmest in GSN history. France have now finished second in the Global Cup for three years in succession, making it clear who the world’s number two sporting power is.
Russia was third, or best of the rest, as it was in 2017. It now seems to have recovered from the 2016 blip that followed its fall from grace after 2015 - the last time Russia finished as runner-up in the Global Cup – when it posted its worst-ever finish, fifth.
As usual, the USA was dominant … though, for the first time ever, it had to concede victory in the Men’s Global Cup – to France of course.
A few key stats to sum up the USA’s majestic sporting performance in 2018:
- Winner Global Cup overall
- Runner-up Global Cup men
- Winner Global Cup women
- Runner-up Global Cup Mixed gender tournaments/sports
- First for number of point-scoring sports: 48 (it was 51 in 2017)
- First for number of sports won: 11
- First for number of sport podium finishes: 25
- First for number of top-eight finishes across all tournaments/events: 353 (Germany came second with 239)
Golf was the highest-scoring sport for the USA in 2018, earning 12.6% of the country’s points, followed by Volleyball (11.3%) and Tennis (7.4%).
Finally, the list of the 11 sports won outright by the USA in 2018:
Artistic Gymnastics
Basketball
Golf
Lacrosse
Snowboarding
Softball
Tennis
Ten-pin bowling
Volleyball
Water Polo
Free Wrestling
