The Best Sporting Documentaries To Watch Now

Free Solo

Oscar-winning adventure doc about Alex Honnold and his attempt to climb the 900m vertical cliff-face El Capitan. No mean feat however you do it, Alex plans on getting up there with no rope. This is a close-up look at the mental, physical and emotional impact of taking yourself into uncharted territory.
 
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Icarus

Another Oscar winner, Icarus dives into the world of doping in competitive cycling. Filmmaker Bryan Fogel sets out to experiment with doping himself, but his personal story snowballs into a global scandal. Working with Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, Fogel exposes a major state-sponsored doping programme that goes all the way back to the 60s.
 
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Iron Cowboy: The Story Of The 50.50.50

James Lawrence attempts to complete 50 Ironman races in 50 states in 50 days. The film follows the journey of James, with his family of five in tow, as he pushes the limits of human endurance.
 
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Stop At Nothing

This is an explosive portrait of Lance Armstrong, the man who became the greatest fraud in sporting history. With contributions from the former friends and teammates who were most impacted by Armstrong’s deceptions and manipulations, this is a masterly documentary that plays out like a Hollywood thriller.

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Senna

A must-watch. This 2010 British documentary traces the late Ayrton Senna’s Formula One career all the way up to his fatal accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. There is a special focus on the Brazilian’s remarkable rivalry with Frenchman Alain Prost.
 
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The Edge

In 2009, England’s Test cricket team were a shambles. In 2013 they were number one in the world. How did they do it – and at what cost? The Edge gets its answers direct from the players and coaching staff themselves.

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Being AP

A shockingly honest portrayal of life as a record-breaking jump jockey. This access-all-areas documentary follows the final races of AP McCoy’s career, revealing the exhausting training programmes, injuries, triumphs, failures and pressures of a sporting legend nearing his retirement.
 
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The Short Game

An excellent documentary about competitive kid’s golf, focusing on the 2012 championship at the famous Pinehurst resort in the US. This is an enlightening and entertaining look at youth sports culture, with insight from grown-up golfing greats Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Annika Sörenstam.
 
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Team Foxcatcher

A paranoid downward spiral leads to the murder of an Olympic wrestler. This true story follows John du Pont of the Du Pont wrestling team through a series of events so captivating the doc was remade by Hollywood, with Steve Carell earning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Du Pont.
 
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Pumping Iron

This heavy lifting doc is set in the golden age of body building. Partly scripted, partly real-life, it explores pressure and rivalry in the runup to two huge competitions. Look out for cameos from Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
 
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Gun Runners

For ten years, this film follows two Kenyan cattle rustlers turned marathon runners as they try to make it big in a country where the sport is already saturated with talent. A probing and moving documentary about daily struggles and small motivations on the road to glory.
 
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The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young

In this notoriously hard race, runners choose between the full 100-mile route or a 60-mile ‘fun run’. With just 60 hours to get across the finish line, it throws up a challenge that is both sought after and feared. Organiser Gary Cantrell is an eccentric and his course contains plenty of obstacles, which makes for a film that has to be seen to be believed.

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