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Articles on 2016 Rio Olympics

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Dutch gymnast Epke Zonderland face-planted into the mat during the final of the men’s horizontal bar at the Rio Olympics – then got up and performed beautifully. Reuters/Mike Blake

When you mess up, get up: the power of failure in building resilience

Some Olympic moments are a timely reminder of the human capacity to bounce back in the face of challenge or failure. But why do some people wilt, while others seem to do over or go again?
Badminton players need to excel in physical, tactical, psychological and technical traits. Reuters/Peter Cziborra

What makes an elite badminton player?

Badminton is one of the most popular sports in the world (especially across Asia, Denmark and the United Kingdom), with over 200 million people playing worldwide.
Paula Radcliffe holds the world record in the women’s marathon, at 2:15:25. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

What makes a successful marathon runner?

Just like an efficient car on a long trip, the best marathon runners also use less energy to run at a given speed.
Cathy Freeman was criticised for flying the Aboriginal flag at the 1994 Commonwealth Games but the same act at the Sydney 2000 Olympics was hailed as a moment of reconciliation. Reuters/Jerry Lampen

Why being a sporting role model isn’t as simple as most people think

Athletes are increasingly expected to be good role models. But we don’t usually expect them to sacrifice their chance of winning to help others.
Racewalkers turn a corner – keeping one foot on the ground – during the women’s 20-km event at the 2012 London Olympics. Maureen Barlin/flickr

Don’t run (and don’t laugh): The little-known history of racewalking

Racewalking has been part of the Olympic Games since 1904, but gets little respect in the United States. That might change if Americans knew a little more about it.
The average margin in gold medal games across the last four Olympics is 3.5 goals in men’s competition and 1.5 goals in women’s competition. Reuters/Laszlo Balogh

What makes a winning water polo shot?

Three things go a long way to deciding water polo medallists.
Does it make sense to target female athletes with high testosterone levels? Caster Semenya competes in the women’s 800-meter semifinal during the London Olympics. Gary Hershorn/Reuters

So what if some female Olympians have high testosterone?

Some women naturally produce high levels of testosterone. Why is this innate condition treated differently from other conditions that potentially enhance athletic performance?
In the 100m final, every hundredth of a second gained or lost in the race counts. Reuters/Carlos Barria

What makes a winning sprinter?

The fastest male and female sprinters attain incredible top running speeds with peaks in excess of 44km per hour and 38km per hour, respectively, in the men’s and women’s 100m races.

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