"The Olympic Games seem to celebrate the extremes of athletic physique — from
tiny gymnasts to impossibly huge shot-putters. But why are they shaped that way?"
tiny gymnasts to impossibly huge shot-putters. But why are they shaped that way?""We've put together an infographic that explores how athletes' bodies have changed over the last century, and the role physics plays in each event. Here on Shots, we're taking a look at some of the athletes featured in the graphic."
"For decades, sprinters have been getting taller, propelled upward by a simple law of physics. Sprinting is basically a controlled forward fall. Runners with higher centers of gravity can fall forward faster — and the taller you are, the higher your center of gravity."