Olympic Games Study: Hungary Takes Gold as Most Improved Nation
- 8 Oct 2024 5:58 AM
- Hungary Today
A new study reveals which countries’ athletes have improved the most over the past century, and Hungary has achieved the best results in the world.
SportsShoes.com, in collaboration with Damian Bailey, Professor of Physiology & Biochemistry at the University of South Wales, commissioned an in-depth analysis of over 100 years of Olympic and Paralympic results to see which countries have made the biggest strides in athletic performance.
The portal looked at the 2024 Olympic results for the 100m sprint, 100 freestyle, single sculls, and team pursuit. Each country’s best result in these events at the 2024 Paris Olympics was compared to their best performance when they first debuted, revealing which countries have seen the biggest athletic improvement since they first began competing.
The study found that Hungary stands on the top of the podium as the most improved nation, showing an average improvement of 26% across all the sports analyzed, followed by Sweden (23%) and France (23%).
The country owes its crown to the men’s 100m freestyle. In 2024, the Hungarian team swam the event more than a third faster than at their debut in 1896, increasing their finishing speed from 82.2 seconds to 52.52 seconds.
Sweden took second place on the podium, with an overall improvement of 23.4%. Sweden can also boast that it has done twice as well (50% faster) in the women’s freestyle event since its debut in 1912. The Scandinavian country has also made great strides at the Paralympics, qualifying 19 more athletes than at the first Paralympics in 1964.
France is hot on the heels of Sweden, boasting a 23.1% increase in its sporting performance at the Games. French men’s and women’s swimmers have improved by more than a third (36%) since their debut, while French men’s cyclists have improved by 28%. In addition, France has increased its Paralympic participation by 2,073% since 1960.
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