The science of underwater swimming: how staying submerged gives Olympians the winning edge
Anthony Blazevich, Professor of Biomechanics, Edith Cowan University
To win swimming gold in Tokyo, swimmers not only have to generate incredible power with their arms and legs to propel themselves through the water; they also have to overcome the relentless pull of the water’s drag while doing so.
Without being able to don special low-drag suits or use technologies to help them fly over the water, how can swimmers make the effect of the water’s drag as small as possible?
The best athletes in this year’s Olympics will do it by swimming under, rather than on top..