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6 Must-See Documentaries About Sporting Greats

Life — 14 October 2019 / 1 min read

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AUTHOR — Aaron Toumazou

Sport provides us with rich stories of ambition and achievement, on the racecourse, in the ring, and beyond. No wonder, then, that raw footage of athletes in action has been the premise for some of the most captivating tales ever told on screen, some even securing Academy accolades.

With the recent release of The Game Changers documentary – a film that looks at a set of elite athletes who thrive on plant-based diets – here we’ve curated a number of interesting and inspirational documentaries to binge alongside it, from the classics to the down-right cinematic.

6 Must-See Documentaries About Sporting Greats

When We Were Kings

1974’s “Rumble in the Jungle” remains one of the most iconic boxing duels in the history of the sport – a fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Here, Ali is at the height of his success – a phenomenal athlete, role model and spokesperson all at once. "Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick! I'm so mean I make medicine sick!" is just one of many soundbites that’ll leave you in awe of the showman, who also imparts his wisdom on freedom and the African-American condition throughout.

Over three years since his passing, there are few moments in his life that better capture the champ’s greatness.

The Game Changers

Released on digital channels this month, The Game Changers hones in on athletic greatness credited to plant-based fuel – a story we're always happy to see told on screen. Debunking the myth that animal protein is key to sporting success, it profiles athletes from all sports who can attribute elevated performance to their transition to a plant-based diet.

Produced by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a wider team of plant-based advocates, the documentary hones in on the achievements of everyone from runners to cyclists, boxers, bodybuilders and record-breaking strongmen. Between telling their stories, the science backing these athletes' claims unfolds, not just for muscle recovery but for all-round health and lifestyle benefits, too. In our eyes, it's essential viewing.

Pumping Iron

Back before Arnie became savvy to the power of plants, he fronted Pumping Iron – a detailed insight into the world of competitive bodybuilding. The film chronicles the intense methods by which the muscle man and his peers push their bodies to the absolute limit.

In the run-up to 1975's Mr Olympia contest, a young, self-assured and seemingly undefeatable Schwarzenegger psyches out his opponents hilariously while also mentoring protégés at his infamous LA training ground, Gold’s Gym.

Regardless of the fact that the nutritional know-how may now seem dated (at one point, a competitor is seen chowing down on an eggshell), this is a fascinating insight into Arnie’s dedication to muscle mastery predating his film and political career.

Serena (2016)

The story of Serena Williams' immense success is one that's often recounted on screen, but this look into her 2015-2016 season is our pick of the bunch.

The youngest Williams sister has won 23 major singles titles, the most victories of any man or woman in the Open Era. In this film, we see her mission aged 33 to take home all four Grand Slam titles – a feat only achieved by a select few on the court. In the process, we get a behind-the-scenes look at those intimate moments of personal determination, and the great cost endured on the road to success.

Free Solo

Here’s one for the adrenaline obsessed, Free Solo documents climber Alex Honnold’s quest to conquer El Capitan in 2017 – a 3,000ft-high formation in Yosemite Valley, California.

The beautifully shot journey of Honnold to its summit rightfully bagged it an academy award this year, and it’s as much a documentation of the intense and meticulous detail with which adventure pursuits like this are filmed as it is the climb itself.

At many points, the camera crew ponder whether the pressure of their presence could be making Honnold’s accomplishment altogether more dangerous. With one misplaced finger the difference between life or death, it’ll either prove impossible to take your eyes away from the screen, or impossible to take your hands away from your eyes.

Iron Cowboy: The Story of the 50.50.50

50 Iron Mans in 50 states over 50 days – an impossible feat, right? Wrong. Iron Cowboy follows James Lawrence's 2015 challenge to complete consecutive triathlons (3.86km swimming, 180.25km on a bike and a full 42.2km marathon) in every state of America.

Starting in Hawaii and ending in Utah, watch as Lawrence traverses the heavy rain of Idaho Falls, crashes his bike in Tennessee and is tormented by the blisters between his toes elsewhere along the way. Iron Cowboy is not an advert for endurance feats of this scale by any means, but it's guaranteed to leave you in awe of this seeming superhuman.