Every two years, the countries of the world compete in the Olympic Games, a time to celebrate friendly rivalry and battle over which country breeds the most talented athletes.
According to data from the 2016 Best Countries rankings — a characterization of 60 countries based on a survey of more than 16,000 people from four regions — Russia is the most “athletically talented” country in the world.
The nation — home of tennis player Maria Sharapova and figure skater Evgeni Plushenko, to name a few — ranks second in all-time Olympic medals when combined with results from when it was part of the Soviet Union. In November, the country submitted to a full and indefinite ban from world athletics in the wake of a doping scandal, calling into question their athletes’ eligibility for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
Additionally, in 2018 Russia will host the World Cup, the quadrennial international soccer tournament of qualifying nations.
Brazil, the host of those Olympic Games, is the second most athletically talented country, having won the most FIFA World Cup Championships to date.
Below are the 10 countries perceived to be the most athletic, according to data from the 2016 Best Countries rankings.
| Athletic Rank | Country Name | Best Countries Overall Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 24 |
| 2 | Brazil | 20 |
| 3 | South Africa | 31 |
| 4 | Argentina | 40 |
| 5 | United States | 4 |
| 6 | China | 17 |
| 7 | Germany | 1 |
| 8 | Spain | 16 |
| 9 | Nigeria | 57 |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 3 |
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The Most Athletic Countries in the World, Ranked originally appeared on usnews.com
