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It is a common myth that perfection and ‘rising above yourself’ are required to clinch Olympic gold. Very rarely, however, do athletes realize a perfect race or match. If athletes nonetheless focus solely on this inspiring but virtually unattainable goal , they may underachieve in the big moments

In Olympic athletes, the heart and the mind team up to achieve success. This synergy can be tracked using heart rate variability (HRV). In this article, you will learn how changes in heart rhythm can boost Olympic athletes' training, help them recover from setbacks, and enhance their mental strength

The pursuit of the Olympic dream is overshadowed by the pervasive issue of interpersonal violence in sport. Despite the challenges, a growing body of research and initiatives is dedicated to reshaping the culture of high-performance sports to prioritise athletes’ safety , integrity and health. Learn

At the end of their Olympic careers, many athletes acknowledge the contributions of a hidden participant: their parents. In the present article, the authors review the pivotal impact of parents’ support for children’s development and success in elite sports and share insights on what constitutes

In recent years, sports that have traditionally been practiced as recreational and non-competitive have been added in the official Olympic program. For example, climbing is on the Olympic program for Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. This article provides an up-to-date overview of the relevant

This article focuses on the basics of normal sleep and the various sleep problems in competitive sports athletes. Strategies and tips for improving sleep behaviour of athletes before, during, and after major competitions such as the Olympic Games are be provided.

The presence of other people is inevitable in sport and dealing with it is crucial for high-level performance. This article presents the potential explanation of social inhibition or choking under pressure in competitive contexts due to the presence of others and suggests ways to help athletes to

Athletes and fans believe to be superior when competing at home. Will the French believe the same at this year’s Olympics in Paris? We review the psychological explanations for a home advantage and predict that French athletes will perform better at home, but, they are not unbeatable.

In Olympic athletes, superior physical performance is clearly evident on observation. The non-visible cognitive processes also contribute to successful performance, yet they are still weakly researched and their mechanisms are unclear. With this article, we will provide insights into state-of-the

Discover how sports in prison foster empathy , health, and social reintegration. By practicing with the Olympic Spirit, inmates find a means to reconnect and rebuild themselves. A holistic approach that transcends barriers and provides a path to rehabilitation.