Reaching for Olympic Glory

Every two years, men and women gather together to compete in the Olympic Games to determine the best athletes in the world. Starting August 8, 2008, more than 10,000 athletes from around the world will meet in Beijing, China, to face off in sports from swimming to soccer to gymnastics. Without realizing it, the Olympians also will compete to see who can best make use of science. Science is involved in every step of preparing for the Olympics. From the gear athletes use to the food they eat to the tactics used on the field, science plays an active role in competition.

Science NetLinks offers these Olympics- and sports-related resources to let you see the excitement, hard work, and dedication that takes place not only on the field and in the pool during the Games, but also in the laboratories and on computer screens beforehand.

Activities

Sprinter Advantage NEW!
Hear how Olympic runners closest to the start gun may get a slight advantage in this episode of Science Update.

Fastest Swimsuit
Listen to this episode of Science Update to hear about the latest technology in swimwear and how it may help Olympians break more records in Beijing.

Careers in Sports and Exercise Science
Read more about the field of sports science and how scientific innovation and technology are used by elite athletes, their trainers, and coaches.

Online Resources

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
The official site for the 2008 Summer Games has lots of background information and daily updates about the Olympics, as well as screensavers, desktop wallpaper, and online games on the Fun Page.

International Olympic Committee
The official site for the governing body of the Olympic Games shares highlights from past Olympics, includes photos and videos, previews the next four Olympic sites, and highlights online exhibits of the Olympic Museum.