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 February 12, 2010, nearly 3,000 athletes from around the world will meet in Vancouver, Canada, to face off in sports from ice hockey to skeleton and from curling to skiing. 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 snow and ice, 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.

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Activities

Sprinter Advantage
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 Science Update episode to hear about the latest technology in swimwear and how it may have helped 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

Canadian Olympic School Program
The Playground and Student Lounge areas offer games, quizzes, and stories about the winter athletes heading to Vancouver.

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games
The official site for the 2010 Winter Games has lots of background information and daily updates about the Olympics and the athletes.

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.