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As people around the world strive to stick to their new year’s resolutions, sports stars admit which dishes they can’t resist
(warning: these photos may challenge your willpower)
London 2012 Olympic torch bearer David Beckham serves up a feast (Getty Images/Chris Jackson)
Hours of training, a balanced diet and nothing in excess. In the routine of an athlete, discipline is key. Except that those who spend their lives striving for physical excellence must be able enjoy a little treat every now and then. Rio2016.com asked some of the biggest names in sport which dishes they couldn’t resist. The result? A festival of food that would bring down any diet.
Danuta Kózak – Hungary’s two-time Olympic champion in canoe sprint can’t say no to a dish from her homeland: the hortobágyi pancake, which is filled with meat and covered with sour cream.
Feng Panfeng – A three-time Paralympic Games champion, the Chinese table tennis player is also loyal to her country’s cuisine. She loves a generous serving of Kung Pao chicken, a spicy mix of vegetables, peanuts, chilly and chicken.
Lee Pearson – Great Britain’s 10-time Paralympic equestrian champion opts for a classic British dish: baked beans and grated cheese on toast!
Usain Bolt – The Jamaican sprint superstar cannot resist local favourite jerk pork, especially when made by his by his Aunt Lilly.
Zahra Nemati – The Paralympic archer, the first Iranian woman to win gold at a Paralympic or Olympic Games, is passionate about ghormeh sabzi, a lamb recipe from her homeland.
DJ Forbes – Rugby players are renowned for having appetites as fierce as their tackling, but New Zealand’s Forbes cannot resist a lighter temptation: wanton noodle soup, a dish of Chinese and Thai origin.
Ki Bo Bae – The Korean archer has given in to western delights and is crazy about pizza.
Alexandra Nascimento – Pastas, risottos, ice cream and all things Italian are the joys of this Brazilian handball player.
Nicola Adams – For the Briton who became the first ever female Olympic boxing champion at London 2012, nothing knocks out Mexican food.
Bruno Soares – Japanese food is hugely popular in Brazil, so perhaps it is little surprise that tennis player Soares has developed a passion for sushi and sashimi.
Anderson Varejão – Despite living in the USA, the NBA star cannot do without this popular Brazilian combination: steak, rice, black beans, french fries and tomatos.
Alan Oliveira – The Paralympic sprint champion is all about the churrasco – the classic Brazilian barbecue.
Yane Marques – The modern pentathlete is also a fan of home comforts: popular in the north-east of Brazil, crab is among her favourites.
César Cielo – To satisfy the appetite of the Brazilian swimming icon, only his grandmother’s speciality will do: chicken with creamy polenta.
Chris Bond – The Australian wheelchair rugby player, who won gold at London 2012, loves a healthy portion of lamb backstrap with polenta mash, green beans and red wine sauce – made by himself.
Sophie Pascoe – The New Zealander, a multiple Paralympic champion in swimming, gets stuck in to roast lamb and vegetables at least once a week.
