One thing that people don’t take into account about the Olympics and world records is that “Gravity” is not the same everywhere on our planet. When the Olympic Games are played in regions of our planet with the lowest component of gravity, the world can be expected to record times in certain events in which gravity is a factor, such as athletics, for example; High jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, javelin and distance running events. Can you see that even a small advantage will result in tenths of seconds taken away or inches added to an athlete’s performance?
Imagine if the Olympics were held in the Lunar Colony, and one day they probably will be, but with 1/5 gravity, it will take a supercomputer to adjust the difference of the world record columns, and what about Mars? , 1/3? gravity dwells there.
Now, let’s not forget that Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is basically + or – at sea level or very close for most events. The air is denser at sea level, more oxygen, and that means better VO2 max for human athletes, more oxygen for the blood and therefore for the body it also makes a big difference. So when it comes to the Rio Olympics, athletes should be able to make a good way to the head. Of course, no matter how good the perks, these athletes must perform at their best, as there are no free rides; after all, these are the Olympics.
Every athlete tries to leverage their strengths and minimize their weaknesses, some to the point of crossing ethical lines, but more often through better training, tactics, coaches, and sports teams. At this level of completion, EVERYTHING, no matter how small, and much of the difference between winning and losing occurs in tenths or even hundredths of a second. The adrenaline rush and the competition are there, the athletes have prepared and trained for their events, and a little help from Gravity can make a difference. I ask you to consider the physics involved here and what it means for the Olympics.
Citations and references:
1.) “The gravity map shows that the Earth has many lumps”, by Larry O’Hanlon of Discovery News published on July 29, 2003.
2.) “A theoretical analysis of the factors that determine VO2 MAX at sea level and altitude”, by Wagner PD, PubMed.com, December 1996; 106 (3): 329-43.
3.) “Sports in Space” (Future Concepts), e-book, September 2011, ASIN: B005LI35RG