Becoming an Olympic athlete takes years of hard work, personal sacrifice, and dedication — and according to a new survey, many Americans already believe they’ve got what it takes.
That’s right: In a country with an obesity rate of over 42%, according to the CDC, some 40% of people in the U.S. think they could compete in at least one Summer or Winter Olympic Games sport.
That’s just one of the findings of a non-scientific survey of 1,000 Americans about the Games that was conducted by OnePoll.
The survey also revealed three times as many men than women believe they could compete on that elite level, with more than half of those wannabe Olympians coming from the Northeast.
The most common sports in which respondents thought they could make a showing included soccer, basketball, and swimming.
The respondents were also questioned about the Tokyo Games and the new events this year: skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing, as well as karate and softball/baseball. Most of those respondents thought the new sports were welcome additions, though 14% thought climbing wasn’t a great choice. Two-thirds preferred the additions of karate and softball/baseball, which are considered in the same category to the IOC.
Forty-two percent wanted to see mixed martial arts to be added to the Games, and 40% wanted to see lacrosse added; 30% wanted to see cheerleading added to the Olympics.
As of July 28, when the survey was conducted, eight in 10 respondents said they watched the Tokyo Games;, with 47% sayimg they watched the Opening Ceremony on July 23.
However, one in five respondents say they’re “very uninterested” in this year’s Games, with 44% saying they’re “overrated.”