According to U.S. researchers, the elite athletes have not only grown much larger and faster than they were a century ago but have also increased size at a rapid rate than the general population.
When the heights and weights of the swimmers and runners who won world records since 1900 were looked at by the engineers at Duke University and then it was compared with the size growth of the athletes since their winning times. It was found out that the average human has gained about 1.9 inches in height since 1900 whereas the fastest swimmers have gained whopping 4.5 inches and the fastest runners have grown 6.4 inches.
According to Jordan Charles, engineering student, "The trends revealed by our analysis suggest that speed records will continue to be dominated by heavier and taller athletes."
The study was published online in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
The information they have gathered will be used by the researchers to predict the running speeds during the Greek and Roman times.
Charles added, "In antiquity, body weights were roughly 70 percent less than they are today. Using our theory, a 100-meter dash that is won in 13 seconds would have taken about 14 seconds back then."
Better nutrition, work out regimens, science etc. will keep the records falling and athletes faster, bigger and stronger.
Well they have much better equipment to train with nowadays. And there are also more products that will help you get built up quickly.
Must be the hormones in the chicken! Is it really true we are that much heavier in modern times as far as athletes? Interesting article, thanks.