By Koh Hui Theng

SPORTS celebrates everything wonderful about the human spirit: passion, endurance and teamwork.

Former American president Richard Nixon once said: "I don't know anything that builds the will to win better than competitive sports."

And this week's prime-time fare oozes competitive fervour, as participants go head-to-head with knives, sticks and ropes to see who will emerge faster, better and stronger.

Telly Buddy dishes out medals to the shows, too. See who gets our gold.

IRON CHEF AMERICA 5 What started off as a cult Japanese cooking contest on Fuji Television circa 1993 has popped up State-side.

The Food Network's spin on four Iron Chefs - culinary geniuses who whip up haute cuisine in 60 minutes using one main ingredient each week - is delicious fun.

The American version pays homage to the Japanese original. The action unfolds in a very familiar setting: The gleaming studio known as the Kitchen Arena.

Why, there's even a campy host (American Mark Dacascos), "nephew" to the original version's flamboyant Chairman Kaga, to crank up the laughs.

But it's the food that'll make your mouth really water. Freshly made chestnut ravioli, anyone? Or wagyu beef with shaved truffles?

While one episode saw Italian Iron Chef (and famed restaurateur) Mario Batali pulling out all the stops - including a US$400 (S$550) rare white truffle - to beat contender Andrew Carmellini, subsequent episodes feature Iron chefs Bobby Flay, Cat Cora and Masaharu Morimoto.

They cook up a storm with halibut, chicken and even the humble carrot.

Verdict: This gets the gold medal for its mouth-watering prowess.

AMERICAN GLADIATORS S2 The "biggest, baddest thing on TV is back", crows six-time World Wrestling Federation champion and American Gladiators host Hulk Hogan.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Beefcake Central.

The revamped show, which takes inspiration from the original series that ran from 1989 to 1996, sees the usual adrenaline junkies with varying thresholds for pain battle Bionic- looking men and women, aka the gladiators.

The latter include the intense- looking Wolf to the very blonde Hellga, and they seem all too happy to toss and pummel the 40 contenders - who are vying for a US$100,000 (S$139,000) prize - into a dazed pulp.Watch out for cheesy quips, too.

Construction worker Randee Haynes, 25, taunts Wolf: "Who's afraid of the big, bad Wolf?"

Someone should have told him that karma, when it strikes, is swift and painful.

Verdict: We bestow this show the silver medal for its ouch-factor and the liberal use of lycra.

THE BRANSONS: COME HELL OR HIGH WATER Money counts for nothing when your main opponent is Mother Nature.

Just ask fearless British billionaire Richard Branson (founder of brands like Virgin Records) as he embarks on his nth attempt at beating the six days and seven hours trans-Atlantic sailing record set in 1905.

In the face-off between man and sea, the billionaire (the world's 261st richest man, according to the Forbes 2009 list) has everything at his fingertips: Expensive boat, state-of-the-art technology, moral support (his two kids tagged along for the ride) and an Olympic triple- gold medallist crew member.

But Nature has a dastardly way of derailing even the best-laid plans. Will Branson achieve his dream? Or will he end up second best?

Verdict: Branson, you get our bronze for sheer grit.

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