Top 10 Documentaries on Sports Achievements

Description: This classic documentary captures the world of competitive bodybuilding, focusing on Arnold Schwarzenegger's quest for his sixth Mr. Olympia title.

Fact: The film is credited with popularizing bodybuilding and significantly boosting Schwarzenegger's career in Hollywood.

Description: Following two African-American high school basketball players, this film explores their dreams of making it to the NBA and the challenges they face along the way.

Fact: It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and is often cited as one of the greatest documentaries of all time.

Description: This quirky documentary captures the intense rivalry between two men vying for the world record high score in the arcade game Donkey Kong, exploring themes of obsession and the quest for recognition.

Fact: The film has become a cult classic, and its subjects, Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell, have become somewhat legendary in the gaming community.

Description: Alex Gibney's documentary examines the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong, focusing on his doping scandal and the impact on his legacy.

Fact: Originally intended to be a film about Armstrong's comeback, it transformed into an exploration of his deception after his doping confession.

Description: Alex Honnold's attempt to free solo climb El Capitan, a 3,000-foot vertical rock face in Yosemite, is captured in this heart-stopping documentary.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and the climb itself was described as "the greatest feat of pure rock climbing in the history of the sport."

Description: This film chronicles the life and career of Ayrton Senna, one of Formula One's greatest drivers, focusing on his intense rivalry with Alain Prost and his tragic death.

Fact: The documentary uses archival footage and interviews but does not include any new interviews with Senna's family or Prost. It was critically acclaimed and won several awards.

Description: This film tells the story of the Portland Mavericks, an independent minor league baseball team owned by Bing Russell, Kurt Russell's father, and their fight against the establishment.

Fact: The team was known for its unconventional approach to baseball, including having a female player and a midget, which made them a unique chapter in baseball history.

Description: What starts as an investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports turns into a geopolitical thriller, revealing Russia's state-sponsored doping program.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. It also led to the banning of Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Description: This documentary follows Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson's attempt to free climb the Dawn Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, showcasing their incredible physical and mental endurance.

Fact: The Dawn Wall route is considered one of the hardest big wall climbs in the world. The film was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Documentary.

Description: This documentary focuses on the transformation of the Paralympic Games, highlighting the athletes' stories and the evolution of the event into a major international sporting spectacle.

Fact: It was produced by the International Paralympic Committee to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Paralympic Games.