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Purpose: To compare power output and pacing between maximal 1500- and 2000-m on-water rowing performances. Methods: Twenty-six (female n = 4, male n = 22) international rowers, across 6 boat classes, completed maximal 1500- and 2000-m on-water races, separated by 24 to 48 hours. Crew combinations and seat orders remained consistent between races. Peach PowerLine instrumentation measured power output and stroke rate. Differences in completion time, mean power output (MPO), percentage prognostic velocity (PPV; percentage of world record velocity in each boat class), stroke rate, and pacing variance were assessed using linear mixed modeling. Results: Compared with 2000-m, completion times were 90.4 (6.1) seconds shorter over 1500 m (−24.7% [0.7%]). Both MPO (P =.255, η p 2 =.06) and PPV (P =.340, η p 2 =.18) were not different between distances. Broadly, crews adopted a reverse-J-shaped pacing across both distances, demonstrating a reduced variance over 1500 m (P =.035, η p 2 =.62). Percentage change in MPO from 2000 to 1500 m demonstrated a strong negative association with pacing variance over 1500 m (R2 =.74, P =.027). Conclusions: International rowing crews did not increase MPO or PPV when racing maximally over 1500 m compared to 2000 m. Comparable strategies were adopted over both distances, with less variance in pacing observed over 1500 m. The crews that demonstrated greater increases in MPO over the shorter race employed a flatter pacing strategy. To improve 1500-m on-water performance, rowers may need to adopt a more even pacing approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In distance running, pacing is characterized by changes in speed, leading to runners dropping off the leader's pace until a few remain to contest victory with a final sprint. Pacing behavior has been well studied over the last 30 years, but much remains unknown. It might be related to finishing position, finishing time, and dependent on critical speed (CS), a surrogate of physiologic capacity. We hypothesized a relationship between CS and the distance at which runners "fell behind" and "let go" from the leader or were "outsprinted" as contributors to performance. Methods: 100-m split times were obtained for athletes in the men's 10,000-m at the 2008 Olympics (N = 35). Split times were individually compared with the winner at the point of "falling behind" (successive split times progressively slower than the winner), "letting go" (large increase in time for distance compared with winner), or "outsprinted" (falling behind despite active acceleration) despite being with the leader with 400 m remaining. Results: Race times ranged between 26:55 and 29:23 (world record = 26:17). There were 3 groups who fell behind at ∼1000 (n = 11), ∼6000 (n = 16), and ∼9000 m (n = 2); let go at ∼4000 (n = 10), ∼7000 (n = 14), and ∼9500 m (n = 5); or were outkicked (n = 6). There was a moderate correlation between CS and finishing position (r =.82), individual mean pace (r =.79), "fell behind" distance (r =.77), and "let go" distance (r =.79). D′ balance was correlated with performance in the last 400 m (r =.87). Conclusions: Athletes displayed distinct patterns of falling behind and letting go. CS serves as a moderate predictor of performance and final placing. Final placing during the sprint is related to preservation of D′ balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social value is the difference between monetized social impacts and related economic investments. Stimulating positive social value is a leading concern and focus for sport event stakeholders. However, insights on this socioeconomic phenomenon have concentrated on social or economic mechanisms, not both, and are siloed to host city residents, largely overlooking nonhost city residents central to events. Thus, we integrated social and economic mechanisms to examine host city and nonhost city residents' mega sport event social value. Data from 1,880 Canadians revealed varying social values (Vancouver and Provincial = negative; Venue-City = neutral; National = positive). Applying a reverse contingent valuation method, findings confirmed the need to integrate (monetized) social and economic mechanisms to calculate social value. Testing an augmented social exchange theory model, findings highlight residents' perceptual ambivalence to social impacts and the importance of income to estimate social value. Stakeholders should effectively leverage events for social impacts and reconsider event public funding allocation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ski mountaineering sprint competitions are short individual races involving 3 uphill sections (U), 3 transitions (T), and a final descent. To date, relatively little is known about this novel Olympic discipline, and here we examined (1) the contribution of the time spent on U, T, and final descent to overall finishing time and (2) the potential relationships with final ranking. During the different rounds of 2 International Ski Mountaineering Federation World Cup sprint competitions, male and female ski mountaineers were video recorded. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate the impact of U, T, and final descent on the best overall finishing time. Linear-mixed model analysis was applied to explore potential interactions between section times, rounds, and final ranking. Overall, U (r =.90–.97) and T (r =.57–.89) were closely correlated with the best overall finishing time (all P <.05). U explained approximately 80% to 90% of the variation in the best finishing time for both sexes, with U + T explaining approximately 95% to 98% of this variation. In each successive round, the ski mountaineers eliminated were all slower on U than the Top 3 (all P <.05). The fastest skiers increased their performance on U in the later rounds of the competitions, while those eliminated showed a tendency toward a decrease. Our findings reveal that world-class sprint ski mountaineers conduct transitions optimally and perform effectively uphill. Training for such competitions should aim to improve short supramaximal uphill performance (∼1.5–2.5 min), ensuring that this does not decline with multiple efforts. These insights into ski mountaineering sprint performance are of considerable value in connection with training for the 2026 Winter Olympics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a pre-post survey design, engaging a purposive-convenience sample of 94 U.S. college athletes who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics across eight sports and 22 countries. Utilizing validated scales, participants' group, national, and athletic identities were measured weeks before and after the event. Paired sample t-tests and a repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance were utilized to understand the effects of time and demographic variables on these identities. Results revealed that after competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, college athletes exhibited a significant decrease in their group identity and a significant increase in their national identity, while their athletic identity remained relatively unchanged. The results were qualified by student status interactions such that international students showed a significant decrease in group identity and a significant increase in national identity after competing in Tokyo 2020, with no significant changes observed in these identities for domestic students. The results illuminate a complex process of identity negotiation experienced by collegiate Olympic athletes that transition between Olympic and college sport environments. This study contributes to sport management literature by offering nuanced insights into the dynamics of role-switching, urging stakeholders to utilize these findings to enhance the experiences of college athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rights-holding broadcasters of the Olympic Games play an integral role in conveying the values of the Olympic Movement, but few studies have examined these networks' social media content. This investigation involved a comparative content analysis of rights-holding broadcasters' official Olympic Twitter accounts in the United States (@NBCOlympics) and Australia (@7Olympics) during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Results indicate significant differences between the two accounts in sport disciplines, gender representations, and national interest. Both accounts dedicated <40% of the tweets to women's sport. Whereas the American outlet NBC promoted home athletes, Australia's Seven Network emphasized athletes from other countries. Twitter accounts partially followed the televisual logics of representation patterns, but contextual factors specific to social media structured agenda diversity. Contextual elements (e.g., structure of sport schedules and nation-specific factors) are also relevant when interpreting representation patterns. Theoretical implications for agenda setting and methodological directions for cross-national Olympic social media research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Short-track speed skating race distances of 500, 1000, and 1500 m that last ∼40 seconds to ∼2.5 minutes and require a maximal intensity at speeds beyond maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Recently, the anaerobic speed reserve (ASR) has been applied by scientists and coaches in middle-distance sports to deepen understanding of 1- to 5-minute event performance where different physiological profiles (speed, hybrid, and endurance) can have success. Methods: World-class (women, n = 2; men, n = 3) and international-level (women, n = 4; men, n = 5) short-track speed skaters completed maximal aerobic speed and maximal skating speed tests. ASR characteristics were compared between profiles and associated with on-ice performance. Results: World-class athletes raced at a lower %ASR in the 1000- (3.1%; large; almost certainly) and 1500-m (1.8%; large; possibly) events than international athletes. Men's and women's speed profiles operated at a higher %ASR in the 500-m than hybrid and endurance profiles, whereas in the 1500-m, endurance profiles worked at a substantially lower %ASR than hybrid and speed profiles. Women's 500-m performance is very largely associated with maximal skating speed, while women's maximal aerobic speed appears to be a key determining factor in the 1000- and 1500-m performance. Conclusion: World-class short-track speed skaters can be developed in speed, hybrid, and endurance profiles but achieve their performance differently by leveraging their strongest characteristics. These results show nuanced differences between men's and women's 500-, 1000- and 1500-m event performance across ASR profile that unlock new insights for individualizing athlete performance in these disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Males typically outperform females in Olympic-style weightlifting, as judged by total weight lifted, and similarly heavier athletes outperform lighter athletes. Current methods can standardise weightlifting performances across body mass to compare different body mass classes, but they do not address the sex gap. This study introduces a novel approach that puts male and female performances on a single unified scale, across the range of body mass, allowing mixed sex teams to be compared. The method uses standardised residuals or “z-scores” derived from models of performance regressed on sex and body mass fitted by GAMLSS (generalised additive models for location, scale and shape). Reference data come from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) world championships and Olympics 2017–2023. To ensure the validity of the model for ranking team performances in the future, results from 2000 to 2023 were compared and shown to be stable over time. A web application is available to aid athletes, coaches and health professionals to compare performances and monitor progress over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the experiences of Norwegian coaches involved in a winter sports collaboration between Norway and China leading up to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Our analysis delves into the complexities of coach–athlete relationships in collaborations between nations with vastly different sports systems and cultures. Methodologically, the study is based on qualitative interviews with Norwegian coaches involved in the collaboration. Emphasizing the concept of "care," we examine how Norwegian coaches navigated the cultural, bureaucratic, and political tensions that encompassed their relations with the Chinese winter sports athletes. The findings reveal that prioritizing care and athlete welfare serves not only as a coaching philosophy for the Norwegian coaches, but also as both a shield and a justification for their involvement, effectively sidelining broader ethical, and political considerations in the Norway–China winter sports collaboration. This research contributes to understanding the dynamics of international sports collaborations and coaches' strategies for maintaining integrity while engaging in international partnerships marked by different values and traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from an analysis of media coverage of the Olympics from 2012 to 2022, the study posits that international media outfits tend to underreport the performance of non-democratic states despite considerable medal success, and overreport the sporting activities of democracies even if they underperform. We argue that this is due to the international media's normative bias towards a world order that privileges liberal democracy and its adjacent values. Our findings indicate strong support for our hypothesis that the media is not a level playing field in the coverage of sporting events, and that it pays to be a democracy when it comes to soft power gains. Overall, the study contributes to the growing body of literature examining sports as an arena of political contestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the potential impact of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games in Paris on the risk of dengue outbreaks in the region. It highlights the rise in dengue cases globally in 2024 and the presence of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes capable of transmitting dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in mainland France. The article emphasizes the importance of surveillance, vector-control measures, and healthcare provider awareness to prevent and manage potential dengue outbreaks during and after the Olympics. Additionally, it mentions the lack of antiviral treatment for dengue and the licensing of a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine for consideration in France. [Extracted from the article]

Researchers primarily focus on the formal practices used by event organizers to establish temporary spaces like Host Event Zones, characterized as a unilateral process that ignores community interests. Yet little research investigates both the formal and informal interactions between stakeholders. Interviews with London 2012 senior organizers after the "fog of organizing" has lifted–and without political pressure to toe‐the‐line–reveals how two‐way dialogue was facilitated through various communicative mechanisms, from "road shows" to more inclusive Olympic Organizing Committee meetings. This counters previous arguments and contributes new knowledge by revealing–and more accurately representing–how event zones are cocreated through negotiation between the event and community. Consequently, scholars should be wary of extrapolating from formal practices on paper and interrogate the more complex and messy informalities of planning to improve veracity of claim(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand the performance of countries in individual Olympic Games, specifically focusing on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Employing cluster analysis and decision trees, the research aims to categorize countries based on their representation, participation and success. Design/methodology/approach: This research employs a data-driven approach to comprehensively analyze and enhance understanding of countries' performances in individual Olympic Games. The methodology involves a two-stage clustering method and decision tree analysis to categorize countries and identify influential factors shaping their Olympic profiles. Findings: The study, analyzing countries' performances in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics through cluster analysis and decision trees, identified five clusters with consistent profiles. Notably, China, Great Britain, Japan, Russian Olympic Committee and the United States formed a high-performing group, showcasing superior success, representation and participation. The analysis revealed a correlation between higher representation/participation and success in individual Olympic Games. Decision tree insights underscored the significance of population size, GDP per Capita and HALE index, indicating that countries with larger populations, better economic standing and higher health indices tended to perform better. Research limitations/implications: The study has several limitations that should be considered. Firstly, the findings are based on data exclusively from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other editions. Practical implications: The research offers practical implications for policymakers, governments and sports organizations seeking to enhance their country's performance in individual Olympic Games. Social implications: The research holds significant social implications by contributing insights that extend beyond the realm of sports. Originality/value: The originality and value of this research lie in its holistic approach to analyzing countries' performances in individual Olympic Games, particularly using a two-stage clustering method and decision tree analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Sports Sciences Research / Spor Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of Sport Sciences Researches / Spor Bilimleri Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In 2022, Mariah Bell won the U.S. National Figure Skating Championship in women's singles. Media coverage of her win and subsequent appointment to the U.S. Olympic figure skating team did not center on her performance; rather journalists primarily focused on the fact that Bell was the oldest woman to win a U.S. national title since 1927 and the oldest woman to compete in figure skating for the U.S. since 1928. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the media framing of Bell's win connected to her age as well as Bell's attempts to de-emphasize her age and reposition her win as evidence of her determination and experience. These competing frames serve as a backdrop to larger discussions about age and participation in sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore the evolution of the debates surrounding human rights in the discourse(s) of major sporting events (MSEs), particularly the Olympics. The paper will first analyse the western-centric origins of the "universality" of the Olympic philosophy and how it affected the protection and promotion of human rights, as well as addressing practical challenges or limitations faced. It will then focus on unpacking the elements of sportswashing and soft power in the multi-discursive context of sport where power, privilege, politics, and position are (re)produced. In doing so it draws upon the emergent field of Sports Diplomacy as the most appropriate explanatory framework to share in this discourse. Finally, it will explore the potential impact of anti-corruption reforms on the establishment of a meaningful human rights legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No, it was not. We do not find evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the distribution of medals in a systematic way. Countries that suffered a higher share of deaths due to the pandemic, or that imposed stricter lockdowns, performed just as prior performances and standard economic and demographic variables alone would have predicted. Hence, while COVID-19 has surely affected the performance of some individual athletes, it did not have a perceptible effect on the distribution of medals across countries. The only impact of the pandemic on the outcome of the Games was to reduce the advantage that host countries traditionally have. This effect, probably caused by the lack of local spectators in most competitions, was particularly strong for teams' events, where the "host effect" vanished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is impossible not to be affected at some level when watching, even just the highlights, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The endorphin-pumping procession enrolled multiple music cultures, spectacular and theatrical light shows, and played to Paris's sardonic historical relations and geographical strengths while generating a 'spectacle' that would be hard to match or forget (even if we wanted to). This truly was a city that gave itself up and delivered a spicy 'full-court press' for the Olympic imagination. However, closer to home, in the wake of the emerging controversies with the development cycle for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics and the cancellation of the 2026 Summer Commonwealth Games by the Victorian government due to projected cost overruns, we feel that more conversation should be occurring around what the Olympic model should be into the future. We offer four propositions or thinking points that are not necessarily new, but collectively suggest, a re-visioning in light of the realities of the poly crisis that looms. The propositions circle around a shift towards a fixed site for the Games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mega‐events like the Olympics and the football World Cups remain popular around the globe, regardless of their record of damaging host cities and societies. In parallel, research on mega‐events continues to grow across a range of disciplines, including geography. Much of this literature remains fixed at global levels of analysis. In this light, mega‐events suffer from a double problem: their planning and articulation too often cause harm to cities and societies and, simultaneously, research on mega‐events focuses too much on the macro. This paper endeavours to address both problems by proposing to make sense of mega‐events by thinking through the minor. This concern valorises micro scales and marginalised people, those who most often lose during mega‐event hosting. The paper argues that geographers are uniquely positioned to conduct nuanced mega‐event research across a globally diverse range of political‐economic contexts, and calls for more geographers to contribute to this project in a move towards a critical geography of mega‐events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the commercialization of the Olympic movement at the Los Angeles 1984 Games, and Seoul 1988 being the first city for over twenty years to host both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same location, there has been an increasing variety of literature that explores how the Olympic/Paralympic Games can be inclusive within the context of disability. In this article, we analyze scholarly perspectives regarding accessibility and provisions for persons with disabilities (PWDs) at the Olympic and Paralympic Games from Sydney 2000 to London 2012. We then explore the concept of legacy linked to the Olympic/Paralympic movement from London 2012 to Beijing 2022, before considering some areas of future research that are required in terms of accessibility and PWDs provisions at future Games. While a host of literature has addressed inclusivity and improving facilities both within venues and in the city or region hosting the Games, we assert that more PWD spectators (and athletes), particularly at the Olympic Games, need to be heard to ensure they have a positive experience pre, during and post the Games. This could lead to improvements for PWDs at future Games including Paris 2024, Milano-Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026, LA 2028, and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online abuse has become a frequent and prevalent occurrence within the sporting landscape. Instances of online abuse can be sparked by "trigger events," which are reactive, emotionally driven moments in sport that are the by-product of its competitive nature. While social media utilization by athletes has increased and can provide various benefits, it can simultaneously contribute to detrimental pitfalls, such as abuse. This study employed a quantitative, longitudinal case study analysis to examine the discriminatory online abuse directed at six Olympic athletes on Twitter/X between 2018 and 2022. Analysis of 243,276 tweets revealed continued forms of discriminatory abuse (e.g., gendered, racial, homophobic) present in content and identified two new types of discrimination related to nationalism and transphobia. Recommendations for the safeguarding of athletes against online abuse are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1960s, French President De Gaulle used sport to pursue a proactive policy aimed at demonstrating the country's power on the international stage. Public television played a central role in this mission, acting as part of a general policy, and in particular in favor of sport. Based on the premise that the media are a magnifying glass for male domination of society, and therefore of sport, we focus on the television and radio representations of three female champions from the 1960s: Christine Caron, in 100-meter backstroke, and Maryvonne Dupureur, in 800-meter track both Tokyo 1964 silver medalists; and Colette Besson, 1968 Olympic 400-meter track champion. Subjected to heteronormativity, we will examine the reasons for the differential treatment of the three sportswomen, based on a study of media archives (radio and television) from the French Institut National de l'Audiovisuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction outlines some of the core themes and concepts that cut across this special issue. We begin by discussing the Olympics and Paralympics and how athlete activists have used the Games to highlight inequity and social injustice. With television audiences surpassing five billion people, these mega-events have the potential to not only reach onlookers from across the world but perhaps change attitudes, practices, and policies. Despite IOC-imposed restrictions around athlete activism, we offer an array of campaigns and activist organizations in the French context to illustrate how discriminations are being challenged in advance of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. At the 2024 Games, it is highly likely that issues of discrimination will be highlighted, and athletes are central to this discussion. Therefore, across this special issue, we focus on representations of gender and ethnicity in television, radio, and newspaper coverage; social media abuse directed at athletes; and disability inclusivity at the Games. Using an intersectional approach where possible, we illustrate how this myriad of identities shapes experiences and the mediated representations of individuals, groups, and nations. Every article within the special issue offers recommendations for positive and transformative change, or possible areas for future research. We end this introduction by presenting some of these core recommendations designed to challenge inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article covers the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, highlighting its scale and significance as one of the largest human gatherings, attracting around 15 million tourists and 11,000 athletes from over 200 countries. Topics include concerns regarding COVID-19 among athletes, the lack of strict COVID-19 protocols, and the implications of potential COVID cases on athletic performance and future event protocols.

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article analyzes the relationship between the life of Li Ning and his journey from the world of athletics to the world of business. The article explores how historical and social context is indispensable to understanding how everyone writes their history. The premise is that we cannot ignore the context of the athletes when assessing their social contributions. Li, who initially gained success as an Olympic gymnast, became a heavyweight entrepreneur, playing a significant role in the collective imagination of Chinese people. The Chinese huge economic transformations generated the opportunities for Li's journey from athlete to businessman. As a result, the Chinese Communist Party heavily promoted the triumph of Li Ning in both stadiums and markets. The conclusions revisit the debate between determinism and free will and show how the life of Li can offer some insights into this discussion in the context of contemporary China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Team USA athlete Simone Biles withdrew from several gymnastics events midcompetition, citing mental health issues. Biles, one of the most recognizable stars of the Games, faced intense scrutiny from both the world's media and the general public in the immediate aftermath. The purpose of this study was to analyze the Facebook narrative surrounding Biles's withdrawal within the theoretical context of framing, as crafted through user comments on various public high-profile Facebook pages. A total of 87,714 user comments were collected and analyzed using the qualitative software Leximancer. The themes emerging from the data suggested a polarizing narrative, with many users supporting Biles, engaging in the wider discussion surrounding athlete mental health, while others condemned her action, suggesting she quit on the biggest sporting stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The study aims to comprehensively analyze the existing literature on the relationship between biomechanics and tennis performance, with a particular focus on enhancing Olympic accomplishment. Materials and methods. Scopus was used to search three fields in each record: (1) Author’s name, (2) Journal Name where the paper was published, (3) Total citations. Bibliometric analysis was employed as a component of the analysis. To obtain a comprehensive and accurate understanding, the data was analyzed and interpreted using several methods of data triangulation. VOSviewer software was appliedto generate distance-based co-occurrence maps for bibliometric analysis and synthesis. The terms extracted from keywords, titles, and abstracts were categorized and organized based on their level of interconnectedness. The keywords “Biomechanics” and “tennis performance” are commonly employed in the study, and their meanings are often interpreted in different settings. The search yielded 240 papers and 6137 citations, which were used in the study conducted between 2000 and 2024. Results. The study’s findings identified “key authors, countries, and subject areas” contributing to thefield of biomechanics research in tennis, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and future research directions. Conclusions. In conclusion, the study provides a foundation for continued research and innovation in championing Olympic excellence through biomechanics research in tennis.

Through a critical-rhetorical analysis of women’s uniform activism that went viral surrounding the 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021), this article builds on existing feminist scholarship regarding the ideological correspondence of postfeminism and popular feminism within gendered economies of visibility. By giving primacy to the notion of personal choice, women activist athletes (and the media coverage of them) employed postfeminist discursive practices in service of a popular feminist agenda. While the foregrounding of “choice” stretched the reach of their feminism, allowing it to shapeshift to please a variety of audiences and gain notice, its deployment also functioned to undermine their political commitments. Presenting the concept of “elastic feminism” to characterize this tension, this essay explores the power and pitfalls of prioritizing the rhetorically flexible logics of choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the social media self-presentation of Chinese, South Korean, and US athletes during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the aim of elucidating the influence of gender and nationalism on their online portrayals across countries. A total of 1800 photographs posted by 278 Olympians were analyzed, revealing that (a) South Korean athletes, particularly males, display a higher prevalence of business-related images in their self-presentation compared to athletes from other countries; (b) Chinese athletes exhibit a greater degree of nationalism in their posted photographs than their South Korean and US counterparts; and (c) female athletes, although gaining agency over their online presence, still demonstrate behaviors reinforcing conventional gender norms. This research underscores the multifaceted interplay of gender, nationalistic, cultural, political, and ideological factors in shaping athletes' self-representations on social media, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics that inform their digital self-expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Shanghai University of Sport is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Shanghai University of Sport and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The sport of triathlon has evolved to become a discipline comprising races of different lengths and formats. It has also undergone significant growth in popularity and exposure with several variations in format from the classic swim - bike - run combination attracting significant television and media coverage. Since 2021 an original and unique format called the Arena Games Triathlon (or in 2024 the E-Games) has evolved that involves athletes competing against each other in swimming, cycling and running combining both the real and virtual worlds in one race. This model of endurance sport is currently unique, provides instantaneous data on performance and has the potential to be a tool for performance prediction, talent selection and sport development. The goal of this perspective paper is to provide context around the emergence of the Arena Games Triathlon series, describe the format of this type of racing, outline how it has the potential to drive training and evaluation of triathletes and discuss the attractiveness of its future inclusion as an Olympic discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine five summer Olympics and identify stocks that media outlets hype as benefiting from the Olympics (Olympic stocks). There is a seven-year period from the time that a country first learns it has won the Olympic bid to the start of the games (Olympic time period). We predict that the excitement of the Olympics along with the greater media attention impacts the valuation and risk of Olympic stocks. Consistent with this prediction, we show that Olympic stocks earn higher returns than their matched counterparts and comove more strongly with each other over the Olympic time period. Olympic stocks also exhibit increases in trading volume and stock volatility on days when media outlets have stories linking the firm to the Olympic Games. However, we find no evidence that the Olympic Games translate into stronger fundamentals for Olympic firms or stronger fundamental comovements. These findings suggest that investors are not purchasing the stocks based on an analysis of fundamentals, but are purchasing them based on their Olympic attribute. To confirm that event-based groupings occur in other settings, we show that comovement increases for stocks classified by the media as "stay-at-home" stocks at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper was accepted by Eric So, accounting. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.02218. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights The aim of this retrospective analysis was to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the cardiorespiratory profile of world‐class ILCA‐7 sailors (n = 3, all males), through a longitudinal evaluation offering real‐world data on physiological profile and exercise intensity domains. The cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed by the same researchers using the same equipment during the study. Assessments took place twice a year, aligning with major international competition preparations. Participants trained and competed at the same sailing club in Split, Croatia, under consistent supervision from the same team throughout the study, winning a total of 21 medals at major international competitions. The recorded V̇O2peak${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}{\mathrm{peak}}}}$ ranged from 51.7 ± 1.6 to 61.9 ± 3.0 mL min−1 kg−1, respectively. Similarly, peak power output varied from 352 ± 10 to 426 ± 34 W. The changes in physiological responses at the ventilatory thresholds were proportional to the changes in peak cardiorespiratory fitness capacity. Interestingly, the oxygen pulse measured in 2015 was 25 ± 1 mL O2 beat−1. Over the subsequent 6 years, the O2 pulse marginally increased and appeared to stabilize at 27 ± 1 mL O2 beat−1 in 2020, when these athletes were 32 ± 3 years old. This work offers a broader understanding of world‐class Olympic sailors’ cardiorespiratory fitness, going beyond the standard assessment of peak V̇O2${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ to incorporate an analysis of ventilatory thresholds. While a direct link between cardiorespiratory fitness and competitive success remains ambiguous, the importance of a well‐rounded aerobic capacity for excellence in ILCA‐7 sailing class is evident. What is the central question of this study? What are the temporal changes in the physiological profiles of three world‐class ILCA‐7 sailors? What is the main finding and its importance? Data on oxygen pulse adjustments suggest the involvement of compensatory cardiovascular mechanisms, likely associated with the isometric and quasi‐isometric contractions inherent in ILCA‐7 sailing. This is evidenced by the absence of an age‐related increase in oxygen pulse, a phenomenon often observed in endurance athletes throughout their competitive careers. What is the central question of this study?What are the temporal changes in the physiological profiles of three world‐class ILCA‐7 sailors?What is the main finding and its importance?Data on oxygen pulse adjustments suggest the involvement of compensatory cardiovascular mechanisms, likely associated with the isometric and quasi‐isometric contractions inherent in ILCA‐7 sailing. This is evidenced by the absence of an age‐related increase in oxygen pulse, a phenomenon often observed in endurance athletes throughout their competitive careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport media is a public pedagogy that impacts sportswomen’s embodied subjectivities by circulating gender ideologies and discourses as forms of truth. In this study we used relativist narrative inquiry to build on sport media research exploring socially constructed motherhood and sport. We interrogated ‘comeback meanings’ in sport media stories of four veteran (i.e. multiple Olympic Games appearances, 32–41 years of age) Canadian athletes’ journeys to the 2020 Olympics as first time mothers. Thematic narrative analysis of 86 stories and accompanying images identified two sets of comeback meanings: second chances and redemption and coming back stronger and wiser. Second chances and redemption comebacks were linked with personal and career agency, good mother ideologies, and sacrifice narratives. ‘Hybrid athlete mother’ identities in stories of second chance redemption comebacks were also constructed as generative role models as part of an athletic rebirth. Coming back stronger and wiser in media stories troubled gendered assumptions about veteran athlete mothers as weak/past their prime through constructing their experience as valued, along with body-performance tensions. Both sets of comeback meanings resist biological and ageist ideologies in media stories of veteran athlete mothers while perpetuating neoliberal ideologies and narratives of exceptionalism. These findings show the pedagogical value of media stories for expanding understanding of nuanced shifting discourses identified in interviews and media studies on athlete mothers. The implications of these findings highlight a need for more research exploring digital media forms to learn more about veteran athlete mothers’ embodied subjectivities and implications for elite sport careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ethnic and gender differences in plasma lipid composition have been widely reported among the general population, but there are scarce data on athletes. Aim: To assess ethnic and gender differences in lipid profile across a large cohort of Olympic athletes practicing different sport disciplines Methods: We enrolled 1165 Olympic athletes divided into power, endurance, and mixed disciplines according to European Society of Cardiology classification. Sixty-two (5.3%) were Afro-Caribbean. Body composition and fat mass percentage were measured. Blood samples were collected and lipid profile was investigated. Results: Compared to Caucasians, Afro-Caribbeans had better lipid profile characterized by lower LDL (90 ± 25 mg/dL vs. 97.1 ± 26.2 mg/dL, p = 0.032) lower LDL/HDL ratio (1.39 ± 0.5 vs. 1.58 ± 0.6, p = 0.012), lower non-HDL-cholesterol (102.5 ± 27.4 mg/dL vs. 111.5 ± 28.5 mg/dL, p = 0.015) and lower TC/HDL (2.59 ± 0.6 vs. 2.82 ± 0.7, p = 0.010). Female Afro-Caribbeans showed lower TG/HDL ratio (p = 0.045) and TC/HDL ratio (p = 0.028), due to higher HDL (p = 0.005) compared to male Afro-Caribbeans. In Caucasian athletes, females showed even more evident differences with lower TC, LDL, and higher HDL with subsequent lower ratios compared to men. Moreover, endurance Caucasian athletes had lower LDL (p = 0.003) and TG (p = 0.017) plasmatic levels and higher HDL levels compared to non-endurance Caucasian athletes (p< 0.0001) Conclusions: Ethnicity and gender have a significant influence on plasmatic lipid balance in elite athletes and Afro-Caribbeans have favorable lipid profiles compared to Caucasians. Moreover, endurance sports, particularly in Caucasian athletes, are associated with better lipid profile compared to other type of sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the digitalization of the sports industry as an important factor contributing to the improvement of sports achievements at the global level. The relevance of the study is that the introduction of digital technologies opens up new opportunities for athletes, coaches and competition organizers, including improving the efficiency of training processes, optimizing the management of sports events, as well as analyzing and forecasting results. The purpose of the study is to conceptualize the digitalization of the sports industry as a factor in improving sports performance in the context of identifying opportunities, challenges, and risks. Objectives of the study: 1) to identify the areas of use of digital technologies in sports activities; 2) to identify opportunities, challenges, risks of digitalization of the sports industry; 3) to reveal the strategies of sports organizations that will minimize risks and maximize the potential of digitalization; 4) to analyze examples of digitalization of sports activities during the Olympics in China (Tokyo, 2021) and France (Paris, 2024). Methodology. The use of methods -- SWOT-analysis, PESTLE-analysis, big data analysis, scenario planning, stakeholder analysis, factor analysis, Delphi method in combination with other general philosophical methods can provide a comprehensive analysis of the digitalization process, identify key opportunities for improving sports achievements, assess and minimize the risks and challenges that arise in the process of implementing digital technologies. Results of the study. It has been analyzed that digitalization is accompanied by a number of challenges, in particular, the need to adapt to new technologies, ensure cybersecurity, and avoid dependence on technological solutions. In addition, there are risks associated with the potential loss of personal privacy, ethical issues regarding the use of athletes' data, and the possibility of a technological gap between different countries and social groups. The article emphasizes the balance between the use of innovative technologies and the preservation of human values necessary for the harmonious development of the sports industry in the digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The notion of a core is generalized to multiway networks. To determine the multiway cores, we adapted already-known algorithms for determining the generalized cores in one-mode and two-mode networks. A new node property, node diversity has been introduced. The newly introduced notions are illustrated with their application on two real-life networks—the European airport network and the Summer Olympic medals network. For the interactive inspection of the results, their 3D layout in X3D is supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Son Kijŏng's monumental victory in the 1936 Berlin Olympic marathon propelled him to the status of hero in both colonial Korea and Imperial Japan. His triumph symbolised the successful fulfilment of Japan's colonial policy of assimilation (dōka). Yet, this very event – the moment when assimilation was ostensibly realised – created the opening for a legendary act of resistance to Japanese colonial authority: the publication, in the Tonga ilbo, of a photograph with the Japanese flag on Son's chest blotted out. This article explores colonial-era representations of Son's achievement as well as the formation and solidification of a historical narrative that portrays Son as a champion of Korean nationalism. Rather than any act performed by Son, it is the malleability of representation established during the colonial era that has allowed for the valorisation of Son as a symbol of resistance to Japanese colonial authority. More recently, colonial-period images of Son, building on the established dominant historical narrative of resistance, have been refashioned as blank canvases from which imagined historical outcomes can be created and formed into narratives that speak to current ideological demands for portrayals of active resistance to Japanese colonial rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Olympic Games of 1940 were due to be organized in Tokyo, Japan, but because of the Sino-Japanese war, the event was hastily re-scheduled to be organized in Helsinki, Finland. The Second World War however interrupted the preparations. Instead of 1940, the Games were organized in Helsinki in 1952. It thus became necessary to prepare twice for the same event. During the 12 years that had passed, the political situation had become significantly different, while also views concerning architecture and urban planning had changed. The postponed Helsinki Olympics represent an intriguing case in the history of Olympic Games, that has remained relatively little researched. This paper proposes that this 12-year 'Olympic gap' brings to view on one hand the need to prepare twice, and on the other hand, the processual, slow nature of building and planning, which continued almost uninterrupted. A close reading of period newspaper articles, history of urban planning and architecture, as well as studies of the Olympic Games reveals tensions between architecture, planning, and politics on local, national, and international level, as they unravel in the context of preparing for the Helsinki Olympics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chosen three times as the host city for the Summer Olympic Games (1940, 1964 and 2020), Tokyo's city layout is historically linked to the Olympics. Including the bid project for the 1960 and the 2016 Games, Tokyo has presented five Olympic projects, each time with five different urban visions which enlighten the nature of the past and present political Japanese regimes. The recurrence of the Olympic Games in the planning and growth of Tokyo leads to the idea of a major influence of the Olympics both on the physical evolution of the urban structure but also on that, immaterial, of its planning culture – or, in other words, on the representations, imaginary and practices of the institutional stakeholders of Tokyo's urban fabric. The aim of the paper is therefore double. First, it analyses each urban vision of the Games of 1940, 1964 and 2020. Secondly, it analyses the influence of each Olympic project on greater Tokyo's urban planning and regional development, as well as the influence of each Olympiad on the following ones. Doing that, the paper discusses the formalization of a planning culture through organizing the Olympics on the long run in Tokyo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the emergence of the concept of sustainable development, the Olympic Games have become a vehicle to demonstrate and promote the principles and practices of sustainability. The aim of this paper is to explain and evaluate how the application of sustainable development in the context of the Summer Olympic Games has evolved. Two processes have been influential in this change: first, the institutional expectations of the International Olympic Committee have encouraged greater responsibility towards the creation of legacies by potential host cities through the IOC Charter, the Olympic Agenda 2020, and the Olympic Agenda 2020+5; and second, the context and inventiveness of host cities has created new perspectives on sustainability to secure the event and raise its global profile. This paper will focus on the sustainability benchmarks established in London 2012 and evaluate whether these have been continued or extended in the subsequent editions of the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024). The changing discourses reveal the tensions between the IOC's agendas for the event, the motivations of the host cities and the realities of delivery in changing socio-economic and political circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the form, function and impact of previous Olympic security arrangements and their intersection with planning practice. Drawing from prior and ongoing empirical research investigating the security practices at summer Olympic Games, the paper argues that wider shifts towards 'total' security models comprising continually reproduced security motifs can be observed that are increasingly standardized, mobile, globalized and planned-in. For most Olympic organizers, preparations now necessarily include attempts to equate spectacle with safety and to 'design-out' terrorism by relying on highly militarized tactics and expensive and detailed contingency planning. Such securitizing practices have intensified in form and scale since 9/11, with such intensification set to continue at the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris, where a vast security infrastructure is being embedded into the large-scale and long-term master-plans for the central city. This represents a high point in spatial planning practice through embracing principles of security-by-design where Games-time security infrastructure, whilst providing effective protection, becomes a less visible but permanent, physical legacy that can also contribute to local programmes of regeneration, climate resilience and crime prevention. The paper concludes by reflecting upon what the continual evolution of security infrastructure means for the balancing of planned-in security and spectacle at future Olympiads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Olympic Games are often framed by the U.S. media as political events, with the media's preference for democratic political systems, while global health crises are often framed in a similar way, demonstrating shared concerns about human interests. When the Olympics occur during a global health crisis, a tension emerges between the ideological framing of the Olympics and the shared concern for human interests in media coverage. By analyzing New York Times coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, this study aims to show how ideological preferences in Olympic coverage interact with shared concerns about health crises. Furthermore, the analysis of this interaction leads to a rethinking of traditional journalistic norms that view journalists as detached observers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The study aims to comprehensively analyze the existing literature on the relationship between biomechanics and tennis performance, with a particular focus on enhancing Olympic accomplishment. Materials and methods. Scopus was used to search three fields in each record: (1) Author's name, (2) Journal Name where the paper was published, (3) Total citations. Bibliometric analysis was employed as a component of the analysis. To obtain a comprehensive and accurate understanding, the data was analyzed and interpreted using several methods of data triangulation. VOSviewer software was applied to generate distance-based co-occurrence maps for bibliometric analysis and synthesis. The terms extracted from keywords, titles, and abstracts were categorized and organized based on their level of interconnectedness. The keywords "Biomechanics" and "tennis performance" are commonly employed in the study, and their meanings are often interpreted in different settings. The search yielded 240 papers and 6137 citations, which were used in the study conducted between 2000 and 2024. Results. The study's findings identified "key authors, countries, and subject areas" contributing to the field of biomechanics research in tennis, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and future research directions. Conclusions. In conclusion, the study provides a foundation for continued research and innovation in championing Olympic excellence through biomechanics research in tennis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to verify which ranking list predicts Olympic results better: one created by Elo system, one using the International Judo Federation (IJF) World Ranking List (WRL), or another using the combination of both. The data utilized comprised the outcomes of 93,728 matches, encompassing 42,844 matches from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games cycle and 50,884 matches from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games cycle. These matches were held across 311 events, all of which contribute points to the IJF WRL. The data was sourced from https://judobase.ijf.org. A total of 8,142 male and 4,736 female judo athletes from all weight categories were analyzed. We employed two variables as proxies for athletes’ performance throughout the Olympic cycle: the positions in the IJF WRL and the ratings from the Elo System. A binary-response model was utilized. In this model, “success” denoted an athlete receiving a medal, while “failure” indicated otherwise. A combination of the WRL and Elo system better predicted Olympic performance of judo athletes. Additionally, for each rank position an athlete improved in the IJF WRL, there was an increased probability to win an Olympic medal of approximately 7.50%, while for each 10 Elo rating score improvement, the athlete increased the probability to win an Olympic medal in approximately 9.26%. When both systems were used together, the accuracy of the model was approximately 91%, with a sensitivity of nearly 68-69%, and a specificity close to 95%, for Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo editions isolated or grouped. Such information can serve as a valuable tool for national federations staff in selecting the most suitable athletes to participate in the Olympic judo competition, if both the WRL and an Elo rating system are used together.