*Olympia*

How much higher? How much faster?

Biomechanical analysis of the sprint and hurdles events at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics

The Sub-4 Alphabetic Register

I meant to say “per year,” not “per decade.” That was just a verbal mistake, and I didn’t even realize I’d made it until I saw the video later. Really in the moment! 

Sir Roger's Run

The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever

*The Race Against Time*

The Physical Characteristics of the Athlete

Kenya’s Running Tribe

David Epstein: Est-ce que les athlètes sont plus rapides, meilleurs et plus forts ?

Est-ce que les athlètes sont plus rapides, meilleurs et plus forts ?

Quand vous regardez les réalisations sportives au cours des dernières décennies, il semble que les humains soient devenus plus rapides, meilleurs et plus forts dans presque tous les sens. Pourtant, comme David Epstein le souligne dans ce discours délicieusement contre-intuitif, nous pourrions mettre à pied l’auto-congratulation. Beaucoup de facteurs entrent en jeu dans le fait de battre des records, et le développement de nos talents naturels est juste l'un d'entre eux.

Athletes today seem to defy limits, but human evolution tells only part of the story. A 2012 Olympic marathoner would have beaten the 1904 champion by nearly ninety minutes, yet advances like synthetic tracks and aerodynamically engineered bikes explain much of this leap. Specialized body types, global talent pools, and smarter training have further fueled performance gains. Shifting beliefs about what the body can achieve, not just natural talent, have pushed athletes to new heights.