Man, those rankings are definitely subjective. I would kick some of those "sports" out of the olympics. You want hard...try the 800m run -- virtually a full out sprint with total anerobic debt and a piano on your back the last 200m. How about the marathon ... how long can you run sub 5 min mile pace? Try men's rings in Gymnastics and see what happens when you attempt to perform an Iron Cross! Or step in the ring for olympic boxing or Greco Roman wrestling. Triathlon is definitely hard, but that listing doesn't do justice to some tough sports.
Watch flat-water kayaking once this August. It is NOT your flat-bottomed kayak you take out for a cruise. My daughter competed at a high level in this form age 10-17. Annually, they'd have the parents try to row the things. 100% of them (I was smart enough never to get in) would capsize the kayak within 5 seconds. It's rowing PLUS trying to keep a knife-edged craft stable in the water whilst you are slamming the water alternately on each side.
IMO, ALL sports performed at the Olympic level are difficult to master, and feature incredibly talented and hard-working, dedicated athletes. But, true, some ARE dumber than others, Like archery and equestrian. And if Ironman were there, it would be the dumbest.
Comments
Watch flat-water kayaking once this August. It is NOT your flat-bottomed kayak you take out for a cruise. My daughter competed at a high level in this form age 10-17. Annually, they'd have the parents try to row the things. 100% of them (I was smart enough never to get in) would capsize the kayak within 5 seconds. It's rowing PLUS trying to keep a knife-edged craft stable in the water whilst you are slamming the water alternately on each side.
IMO, ALL sports performed at the Olympic level are difficult to master, and feature incredibly talented and hard-working, dedicated athletes. But, true, some ARE dumber than others, Like archery and equestrian. And if Ironman were there, it would be the dumbest.