Performance comparison between men and women in sport
This list compares men’s and women’s athletes performance for various sports such as athletics, swimming, and other. For this analysis we considered the world records of each discipline for each genre. Performance was calculated by dividing the difference between results by the men’s result (Women’s WR – Men’s WR / Men’s WR), and is presented in percentage format. Disciplines that have a negative result mean that women underperformed men. Disciplines marked with (1) have different rules for men and women. Check here the world records for men and for women.
Sport | Discipline | Women's Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics | 10 Kilometres | -11.16% |
| Athletics | 10,000 Metres | -11.41% |
| Athletics | 100 Kilometres | -6.49% |
| Athletics | 100 Metres | -9.50% |
| Athletics | 1000 Metres | -12.90% |
| Athletics | 1500 Metres | -11.68% |
| Athletics | 20 Kilometres Race Walk | -10.49% |
| Athletics | 20,000 Metres | -15.97% |
| Athletics | 20,000 Metres Race Walk | -12.20% |
| Athletics | 200 Metres | -11.20% |
| Athletics | 2000 Metres | -13.68% |
| Athletics | 25,000 Metres | -20.26% |
| Athletics | 30,000 Metres | -21.94% |
| Athletics | 3000 Metres | -10.31% |
| Athletics | 3000 Metres Steeplechase | -10.70% |
| Athletics | 400 Metres | -10.62% |
| Athletics | 400 Metres Hurdles | -11.59% |
| Athletics | 4x100 Metres Relay | -10.80% |
| Athletics | 4x1500 Metres Relay | -15.24% |
| Athletics | 4x200 Metres Relay | -11.23% |
| Athletics | 4x400 Metres Relay | -11.98% |
| Athletics | 4x800 Metres Relay | -11.30% |
| Athletics | 5 Kilometres | -9.27% |
| Athletics | 50 Kilometres Race Walk | -12.56% |
| Athletics | 50 Metres | -7.19% |
| Athletics | 50 Metres Hurdles | -5.28% |
| Athletics | 5000 Metres | -12.39% |
| Athletics | 60 Metres | -9.15% |
| Athletics | 60 Metres Hurdles | -5.21% |
| Athletics | 800 Metres | -12.26% |
| Athletics | Decathlon (1) | -8.42% |
| Athletics | Discus Throw (1) | 3.67% |
| Athletics | Distance Medley Relay | -14.58% |
| Athletics | Half Marathon | -11.23% |
| Athletics | Hammer Throw (1) | -4.33% |
| Athletics | Heptathlon (1) | 9.72% |
| Athletics | High Jump | -14.69% |
| Athletics | Javelin Throw (1) | -26.60% |
| Athletics | Long Jump | -15.98% |
| Athletics | Marathon | -11.32% |
| Athletics | One Hour | -13.00% |
| Athletics | One Mile | -13.09% |
| Athletics | Pole Vault | -17.86% |
| Athletics | Road Relay | -12.45% |
| Athletics | Shot Put (1) | -2.12% |
| Athletics | Triple Jump | -15.25% |
| Canoeing | C1 200m | -18.85% |
| Canoeing | C1 4x200m relay | -2.56% |
| Canoeing | C1 5000m | -22.28% |
| Canoeing | C1 500m | -16.46% |
| Canoeing | C2 200m | -20.75% |
| Canoeing | C2 500m | -16.96% |
| Canoeing | K1 1000m | -13.21% |
| Canoeing | K1 200m | -13.54% |
| Canoeing | K1 5000m | -12.04% |
| Canoeing | K1 500m | -12.02% |
| Canoeing | K2 1000m | -14.44% |
| Canoeing | K2 200m | -17.60% |
| Canoeing | K2 500m | -12.22% |
| Canoeing | K4 1000m | -15.94% |
| Canoeing | K4 200m | -16.38% |
| Canoeing | K4 500m | -13.49% |
| Finswimming | 100m BF | -8.98% |
| Finswimming | 100m IM | -10.31% |
| Finswimming | 100m SF | -12.37% |
| Finswimming | 1500 SF | -7.09% |
| Finswimming | 200m BF | -8.69% |
| Finswimming | 200m SF | -8.60% |
| Finswimming | 4×100m SF relay | -13.18% |
| Finswimming | 4×200m SF relay | -10.13% |
| Finswimming | 400m BF | -8.69% |
| Finswimming | 400m IM | -10.02% |
| Finswimming | 400m SF | -8.57% |
| Finswimming | 50m AP | -10.22% |
| Finswimming | 50m BF | -11.46% |
| Finswimming | 50m SF | -12.93% |
| Finswimming | 800m IM | -9.06% |
| Finswimming | 800m SF | -8.12% |
| Short Track Speed Skating | 1000 meters | -7.15% |
| Short Track Speed Skating | 1500 meters | -5.01% |
| Short Track Speed Skating | 3000 meters | -5.55% |
| Short Track Speed Skating | 3000m relay | -2.71% |
| Short Track Speed Skating | 500 meters | -7.16% |
| Speed Skating | 1000 meters | -8.20% |
| Speed Skating | 10000 meters | -9.52% |
| Speed Skating | 1500 meters | -9.64% |
| Speed Skating | 3000 meters | -6.78% |
| Speed Skating | 500 meters | -8.18% |
| Speed Skating | 500 meters x 2 | -7.67% |
| Speed Skating | 5000 meters | -11.10% |
| Speed Skating | One hour | -7.24% |
| Speed Skating | Small combination | -5.61% |
| Speed Skating | Sprint combination | -7.59% |
| Speed Skating | Team sprint (3 laps) | -9.74% |
| Sport Stacking | 3-3-3 | -7.72% |
| Sport Stacking | 3-6-3 | -9.60% |
| Sport Stacking | Cycle | -7.07% |
| Swimming | 100 Backstroke LCM | -11.03% |
| Swimming | 100 Backstroke SCM | -12.58% |
| Swimming | 100 Breaststroke LCM | -12.75% |
| Swimming | 100 Breaststroke SCM | -12.14% |
| Swimming | 100 Butterfly LCM | -12.08% |
| Swimming | 100 Butterfly SCM | -13.58% |
| Swimming | 100 Freestyle LCM | -10.23% |
| Swimming | 100 Freestyle SCM | -11.82% |
| Swimming | 100 Medley SCM | -12.44% |
| Swimming | 1500 Freestyle LCM | -5.68% |
| Swimming | 1500 Freestyle SCM | -8.45% |
| Swimming | 200 Backstroke LCM | -10.21% |
| Swimming | 200 Backstroke SCM | -12.88% |
| Swimming | 200 Breaststroke LCM | -10.30% |
| Swimming | 200 Breaststroke SCM | -11.99% |
| Swimming | 200 Butterfly LCM | -10.01% |
| Swimming | 200 Butterfly SCM | -10.50% |
| Swimming | 200 Freestyle LCM | -10.76% |
| Swimming | 200 Freestyle SCM | -11.13% |
| Swimming | 200 Medley LCM | -10.63% |
| Swimming | 200 Medley SCM | -11.16% |
| Swimming | 400 Freestyle LCM | -7.45% |
| Swimming | 400 Freestyle SCM | -10.21% |
| Swimming | 400 Medley LCM | -9.24% |
| Swimming | 400 Medley SCM | -9.95% |
| Swimming | 4x100 Freestyle Relay LCM | -11.59% |
| Swimming | 4x100 Freestyle Relay SCM | -12.84% |
| Swimming | 4x100 Medley Relay LCM | -11.15% |
| Swimming | 4x100 Medley Relay SCM | -13.07% |
| Swimming | 4x200 Freestyle Relay LCM | -10.26% |
| Swimming | 4x200 Freestyle Relay SCM | -11.32% |
| Swimming | 4x50 Freestyle Relay SCM | -14.80% |
| Swimming | 4x50 Medley Relay SCM | -13.20% |
| Swimming | 50 Backstroke LCM | -12.42% |
| Swimming | 50 Backstroke SCM | -15.53% |
| Swimming | 50 Breaststroke LCM | -13.29% |
| Swimming | 50 Breaststroke SCM | -13.11% |
| Swimming | 50 Butterfly LCM | -9.70% |
| Swimming | 50 Butterfly SCM | -12.09% |
| Swimming | 50 Freestyle LCM | -13.20% |
| Swimming | 50 Freestyle SCM | -13.18% |
| Swimming | 800 Freestyle LCM | -7.23% |
| Swimming | 800 Freestyle SCM | -8.10% |
| Track Cycling | 4000 m team pursuit | -9.75% |
| Track Cycling | Flying 200 m time trial | -11.58% |
| Track Cycling | Flying 500 m time trial | -17.01% |
| Track Cycling | Hour record | -12.86% |
| Track Cycling | Hour record (UCI best human effort) | -14.57% |
| Track Cycling | Team sprint (1) | 23.75% |
