Sources: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, April 2015 – March 2016 n = 15,074 Australians 14+; Roy Morgan Young Australians Survey January – December 2015, n = 2,906 Australians 6-13
As well as the 418 athletes now in Rio, another 7,853,000 Australians regularly participate in one or more Olympic sports, Roy Morgan Research shows.
5,590,000 Australians aged 14+ (29%) are regular participants in sports played in the 2016 Olympic Games, as are another 2,263,000 kids aged 6-13 (91%).
With three medals and counting, swimming is also the most common ‘Olympic’ sport done regularly by Australians in both age groups: just over two million aged 14+ and 1.2 million aged 6-13.
Among adults, other Olympic sports with high numbers of regular participants include Cycling (1,568,000), Golf (632,000), Soccer (561,000), Tennis (484,000), Marathons/Running (380,000), Basketball (348,000), Mountain Biking (328,000) and Martial Arts (308,000). Among kids, participation is highest in Soccer (1,216,000), Bicycling (909,000), Athletics/Track and field (812,000) and Basketball (781,000).
Toward the bottom of the lists are, ironically, sports that Australia has so far actually medalled in: just 108,000 (14+) and 126,000 (6-13) play Rugby Union regularly (in which our women’s team just won gold), 92,000 (14+) are regular clay/target shooters (one gold), and 79,000 are regular archers (a bronze).
Number of regular participants in ‘Olympic’ sports
|
|
Number of regular participants (age 14+)
|
|
|
Number of regular participants (age 6-13)
|
|
Any 'Olympic' Sports
|
5,590,000
|
|
Any 'Olympic' Sports
|
2,263,000
|
|
Swimming
|
2,017,000
|
|
Swimming
|
1,223,000
|
|
Cycling
|
1,568,000
|
|
Soccer
|
1,216,000
|
|
Golf
|
632,000
|
|
Bicycling
|
909,000
|
|
Soccer
|
561,000
|
|
Athletics/Track and field
|
812,000
|
|
Tennis
|
484,000
|
|
Basketball
|
781,000
|
|
Marathons/Running
|
380,000
|
|
Tennis
|
483,000
|
|
Basketball
|
348,000
|
|
Gymnastics
|
478,000
|
|
Mountain biking
|
328,000
|
|
Martial arts
|
225,000
|
|
Martial arts
|
308,000
|
|
Volleyball
|
218,000
|
|
Boxing
|
227,000
|
|
Field Hockey
|
147,000
|
|
Table tennis
|
227,000
|
|
Rugby Union
|
126,000
|
|
Badminton
|
155,000
|
|
Horse riding
|
111,000
|
|
Volleyball
|
146,000
|
|
Sailing
|
37,000
|
|
Horse riding
|
139,000
|
|
Rowing
|
25,000
|
|
Athletics/Track & field
|
123,000
|
|
|
|
|
Field hockey
|
109,000
|
|
|
|
|
Rugby Union
|
108,000
|
|
|
|
|
Sailing
|
108,000
|
|
|
|
|
Rowing
|
102,000
|
|
|
|
|
Clay/Target shooting
|
92,000
|
|
|
|
|
Gymnastics
|
89,000
|
|
|
|
|
Triathlons
|
82,000
|
|
|
|
|
Archery
|
79,000
|
|
|
|
Sources: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, April 2015 – March 2016 n = 15,074 Australians 14+; Roy Morgan Young Australians Survey January – December 2015, n = 2,906 Australians 6-13
Michele Levine, CEO – Roy Morgan Research, says:
“The Australian women’s Rugby Sevens team won the gold medal, but Rugby Union is currently the least popular of all these Olympic sports among Australian women, with just 1 in 500 regular players. Among girls, however, around 1 in 50 play Rugby Union. Nevertheless, in each age group, males playing Rugby Union outnumber females by around four to one—so the men have no excuse not to claim a gold medal too.
“Roy Morgan also asks Australians, young and old, about their regular and occasional participation in dozens of other non-Olympic sports and fitness activities, from yoga and surfing to lawn bowls and skateboarding.”
For comments or more information please contact:
Roy Morgan - Enquiries
Office: +61 (03) 9224 5309
askroymorgan@roymorgan.com