Top 30 Sports - Height & Weight Data

Sport Male Height Male Weight Female Height Female Weight
Basketball (NBA/WNBA) 6'6" (198cm) 216lb (98kg) 6'0" (183cm) 170lb (77kg)
Volleyball 6'7" (201cm) 207lb (94kg) 6'1" (185cm) 161lb (73kg)
American Football (NFL) 6'2" (188cm) 245lb (111kg) N/A N/A
Soccer/Football 5'11" (180cm) 170lb (77kg) 5'6" (168cm) 132lb (60kg)
Baseball (MLB) 6'1" (186cm) 209lb (95kg) 5'6" (168cm) 145lb (66kg)
Ice Hockey (NHL) 6'1" (185cm) 200lb (91kg) 5'6" (168cm) 140lb (64kg)
Tennis 6'1" (185cm) 176lb (80kg) 5'8" (173cm) 141lb (64kg)
Swimming 6'2" (188cm) 179lb (81kg) 5'9" (175cm) 141lb (64kg)
Gymnastics (Artistic) 5'5" (165cm) 139lb (63kg) 5'1" (155cm) 106lb (48kg)
Golf (PGA/LPGA) 5'11" (180cm) 180lb (82kg) 5'6" (168cm) 140lb (64kg)
Track - Sprinters 5'10" (178cm) 165lb (75kg) 5'5" (165cm) 130lb (59kg)
Track - Distance 5'9" (175cm) 139lb (63kg) 5'5" (165cm) 115lb (52kg)
MMA/UFC 5'10" (178cm) 170lb (77kg) 5'5" (165cm) 135lb (61kg)
Boxing 5'11" (180cm) Varies 5'6" (168cm) Varies
Wrestling 5'9" (175cm) Varies 5'4" (163cm) Varies
Rugby Union 5'11" (181cm) 220lb (100kg) 5'7" (170cm) 154lb (70kg)
Rowing 6'3" (192cm) 200lb (91kg) 5'11" (180cm) 161lb (73kg)
Triathlon 5'11" (180cm) 154lb (70kg) 5'6" (168cm) 126lb (57kg)
Figure Skating 5'9" (175cm) 150lb (68kg) 5'3" (160cm) 108lb (49kg)
Weightlifting 5'7" (170cm) 207lb (94kg) 5'3" (160cm) 141lb (64kg)
CrossFit 5'9" (175cm) 195lb (88kg) 5'4" (163cm) 140lb (64kg)
Cricket 5'11" (180cm) 176lb (80kg) 5'6" (168cm) 132lb (60kg)
Field Hockey 5'10" (178cm) 170lb (77kg) 5'5" (165cm) 132lb (60kg)
Cycling (Road) 5'11" (180cm) 154lb (70kg) 5'6" (168cm) 126lb (57kg)
Alpine Skiing 5'10" (178cm) 190lb (86kg) 5'7" (170cm) 150lb (68kg)
Australian Football 6'2" (188cm) 192lb (87kg) 5'7" (170cm) 143lb (65kg)
Lacrosse 6'0" (183cm) 195lb (88kg) 5'7" (170cm) 145lb (66kg)
Water Polo 6'3" (191cm) 209lb (95kg) 5'9" (175cm) 154lb (70kg)
Handball 6'3" (191cm) 209lb (95kg) 5'9" (175cm) 154lb (70kg)
Diving 5'8" (173cm) 150lb (68kg) 5'4" (163cm) 121lb (55kg)

NFL Positions - 2024-25 Season Data

Position Average Height Average Weight BMI Sample Size
Quarterbacks (QB) 6'3" (190cm) 225lb (102kg) 24.7 70
Running Backs (RB) 5'10" (178cm) 215lb (98kg) 27.3 85
Wide Receivers (WR) 6'0" (183cm) 200lb (91kg) 24.5 195
Tight Ends (TE) 6'4" (193cm) 250lb (113kg) 26.6 95
Offensive Line (OL) 6'5" (196cm) 315lb (143kg) 32.1 240
Defensive Line (DL) 6'3" (191cm) 290lb (132kg) 31.2 180
Linebackers (LB) 6'2" (188cm) 240lb (109kg) 27.4 145
Defensive Backs (DB) 5'11" (180cm) 195lb (88kg) 24.1 250
Kickers/Punters (K/P) 6'0" (183cm) 190lb (86kg) 23.3 65

Olympic Sports Data (Rio 2016 & Paris 2024)

Sport Male Height Male Weight Female Height Female Weight Data Year
Athletics - Sprints 5'11" (180cm) 168lb (76kg) 5'7" (171cm) 126lb (57kg) 2016
Athletics - Distance 5'9" (175cm) 137lb (62kg) 5'5" (165cm) 115lb (52kg) 2016
Rowing 6'3" (192cm) 198lb (90kg) 5'10" (178cm) 161lb (73kg) 2016
Gymnastics 5'6" (168cm) 137lb (62kg) 5'2" (157cm) 106lb (48kg) 2016
Swimming 6'2" (188cm) 183lb (83kg) 5'9" (175cm) 141lb (64kg) 2016

Sport Categories

Major League Sports

  • Basketball (NBA/WNBA)
  • American Football (NFL)
  • Baseball (MLB)
  • Ice Hockey (NHL)
  • Soccer (MLS)
  • Golf (PGA/LPGA)

Olympic Sports - Popular

  • Swimming
  • Gymnastics
  • Track & Field (Sprints/Distance/Throws)
  • Volleyball
  • Tennis
  • Diving
  • Rowing
  • Cycling
  • Wrestling
  • Boxing
  • Weightlifting
  • Figure Skating
  • Alpine Skiing
  • Handball
  • Water Polo

International Sports

  • Soccer/Football (Premier League, La Liga)
  • Rugby (Union & League)
  • Cricket
  • Australian Football (AFL)
  • Field Hockey
  • Netball
  • Table Tennis
  • Badminton
  • Judo
  • Taekwondo

Combat Sports

  • MMA/UFC (by weight class)
  • Boxing (by weight class)
  • Wrestling (Olympic)
  • Judo
  • Taekwondo
  • Karate
  • Kickboxing/Muay Thai
  • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Endurance Sports

  • Marathon Running
  • Triathlon
  • Cycling (Road)
  • Cross-Country Skiing
  • Rowing
  • Swimming (Distance)

Other Popular Sports

  • CrossFit
  • Lacrosse
  • Surfing
  • Skateboarding
  • Snowboarding
  • Beach Volleyball
  • Softball
  • Horse Racing (Jockeys)
  • Formula 1
  • ESports

Frequently Asked Questions

What sport has the tallest athletes?

Basketball has the tallest athletes, with NBA players averaging 6'6" (198cm) for men and WNBA players averaging 6'0" (183cm) for women. Volleyball comes in a close second with male players averaging 6'7" (201cm).

How tall are Olympic gymnasts?

Olympic gymnasts are among the shortest athletes in sports. Female gymnasts average around 5'1" (155cm) while male gymnasts average approximately 5'5" (165cm), with artistic gymnasts typically being the smallest.

Which athletes are the heaviest?

NFL offensive linemen are the heaviest athletes at approximately 315 pounds (143kg) on average. Other notably heavy athletes include NFL defensive linemen at 290 pounds and rugby forwards who often exceed 220 pounds.

Do you need to be tall for sports?

Height requirements vary dramatically by sport. Basketball, volleyball, and rowing strongly favor taller athletes, while gymnastics, diving, and distance running often benefit from shorter, lighter builds. Many sports like soccer and MMA have successful athletes across all height ranges.

What's the average height of soccer players?

Male soccer players average about 5'11" (180cm) in height and 170 pounds (77kg) in weight. Female soccer players average around 5'6" (168cm) and 132 pounds (60kg), though successful players exist across a wide range of body types.

How do athlete sizes compare between men and women?

Male athletes typically average 4-6 inches taller and 30-50 pounds heavier than female athletes in the same sport. The largest gaps appear in basketball and rowing (6+ inches), while the smallest differences are in endurance sports like distance running and triathlon.