It’s one of the most complex, contentious questions in sports: Who are the fittest athletes in the world? Every sport makes different demands and physiques are carved and cut and chiseled in distinct ways, but success at each often hinges on conditioning. What happens when you level the playing field and compare disparate sports?
With the help of a panel of trainers, exercise physiologists and performance experts, athletes were selected based on their performances over the last 12 months; demands and risks of their respective sports; durability; training regimens; and other physical criteria including power, speed, strength, agility, endurance, flexibility and more.