How Many Calories Do Olympic Athletes Burn While Competing?

If you’ve been watching the seasoned competitors at the Olympic Games like the rest of the world, you’re seeing a slew of athletes in amazing shape. So what does it take to grind it out on the field, track, court, and mat and in the pool?

When they’re prepping for competition in the months and years before the big event, the daily energy requirements of Olympic athletes can top 8,000 calories in endurance sports like cycling, marathon, and rowing. Rumors once circulated that swim champ Michael Phelps consumed a whopping 12,000 calories per day to keep up with his training regimen. But when we get down to the nitty-gritty of a single Olympic event, where all that energy poured into prep comes together, the calories burned vary dramatically across sports and events.

Since we were curious about how many calories each athlete was burning while we sat and watched (not burning a single calorie) from home, we asked a couple of experts to crunch some numbers for us. Beth Miller, MS, RD, director of sports nutrition for UCLA Athletics, and Jennifer J. Beck, MD, an assistant clinical professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, put their heads together to calculate the totals. And some of it might really surprise you.

Athletes burn a surprising number of calories at Olympic events. (Photo: Getty Images/Yahoo Beauty)

Swimming

Although he might pour loads of energy into training and require a ton of calories daily, a swimmer like Michael Phelps burns only around 14 calories during the 100-meter butterfly.

Basketball

It takes a lot to run, jump, dribble, and dunk! And a basketball player like Kevin Durant burns roughly 717 calories during a standard basketball game.

Cycling

It takes a lot of endurance to cycle for hours, weaving in and out of competitors — and an athlete like Megan Guarnier will burn roughly 3,400 calories during a typical road race.

Tennis

Although it definitely varies based on the length of the match, a tennis player like Serena Williams (who regularly puts opponents down in straight sets) might burn roughly 200 calories in one turn on court.

Beach volleyball

There’s a lot of movement in volleyball, as players run, jump, hit, and dive to keep that ball in play. An athlete like Kerri Walsh Jennings might burn roughly 500 calories during a typical match.

Gymnastics

Gymnasts are crazy-strong and able to glide across the mat with ease, burning way less than you likely think. Beck and Miller estimate that a gymnast like Simone Biles burns just 10 or so calories during a quick floor exercise.

Soccer

Running and cutting is nonstop in soccer, where a typical match requires 90 minutes of full-force effort and stoppage time. A player like Alex Morgan burns around 780 calories during a typical game.

Wrestling

A typical wrestler needs to exert a lot of energy in a very short time. In a match of minutes, a wrestler like Jordan Burroughs may burn roughly 40 calories during his time on the mat.

Track and field

Although runners train a ton, sprinters flash in a matter of seconds — and burn only a quick dash of calories. An athlete like Allyson Felix, for example, would likely burn just 10 to 15 calories during the 400-meter event.

Decathlon

To earn the title of World’s Greatest Athlete, one needs a good deal of mental and physical energy in training. However, Beck and Miller estimate a decathlon competitor like Ashton Eaton likely burns just 300 calories over the course of the actual event (accounting for active time only).

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