Article “Fastest Swimmers in USA Use Math to Get Gold” by Jordana Sibilovicoriginally published in Quanta magazine and now available in Le Scienze, describes how mathematics and technology are helping the U.S. Olympic swimming team improve performance.
In 2014, Andrew WilsonA student of mathematics and physics as well as a swimmer, H Ken OnoA mathematician at Emory University, he began a collaboration to use mathematical models and accelerometer data to improve Wilson’s performance. Ono, an expert in standard shapes and abstract numbers, collected and analyzed data to identify and measure swimmers’ weaknesses. Within two years, Wilson had won a national championship and later won a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics in swimming the 4×100 medley relay preliminaries.
Ono then moved to the University of Virginia (UVA) to work with the coach Todd Desorbo And integration into the technical staff of the Olympic team. The program has been a notable success, with UVA athletes winning numerous gold medals and setting world records. Ono’s approach is based on Newton’s laws of motion, measuring acceleration, deceleration and resistance using sensors and high-definition video. Their early experiments were rudimentary, but over time they developed more sophisticated methods, including the use of force sensors and linear algebra techniques.
The data collected includes the forces generated by the swimmers’ movements in three dimensions, allowing us to analyze details such as coordination during kicks or stroke efficiency. One of the examples mentioned is this Big Maddenwhose swimming proficiency was improved through data analysis and subsequent training.
Uno also uses digital twins, which are mathematical models based on an athlete’s data, to simulate and optimize racing strategies. This method has helped in the development of formulas tailored to athletes’ performance, increasing their confidence and security in competition. Despite technical challenges, such as managing noise in the data and orientation in 3D space, the program demonstrated the importance of analytical thinking and attention to detail.
Ono’s experience demonstrates how female athletes can have a significant impact on a wide range of people, helping athletes improve their performance and achieve Olympic success, with the Paris Games being a landmark where athletes who went through the program achieved significant results to say the least:
- Gretchen Walsh, After the WR was established during the trials, he won silver in the 100 butterfly and the 4×100 freestyle.
- Kate Douglas He won the 200 breaststroke and will seek his second title in the mixed relay
- The aforementioned Paige Madden, despite her less-than-ideal physical condition, was part of a second-place finish in the 4 x 200 freestyle relay and won bronze in the 1,500 freestyle.
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