Science to win medals | Olympic Games

Ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, École Polytechnique, the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the French National Institute of Sports, Expertise and Performance (INSEP) have joined forces to launch the program Science 24.

The idea is simple: weave a network between scientists and sports federations to meet the specific needs of athletes, with the aim of improving performance.

The man behind this project is Christophe Clanet. This physicist and research director at the CNRS has put all his knowledge at the service of high-level athletes and coaches.

We started working with the French teams in 2015he told Radio-Canada Sports to explain his quest. It all started with the biathlon team ahead of the Pyeongchang Olympics. We then studied the best waxes for skis depending on the humidity conditions, which were different from anything we knew.

Then, on September 13, 2017, the 2024 Summer Games were awarded to Paris. At the École Polytechnique, where Christophe Clanet works, we wonder what we can do to help athletes. This is where the idea came from to bring together other researchers from 15 major schools to create Science 2024.

million euros over four years. There is the Neptune project for swimming, From Carbon to Gold for sailing and THPCA (very high performance in cycling and rowing). From there, we put ourselves at the service of coaches and athletes”,”text”:”The government has funded several research projects to the tune of 20 million euros over four years. There is the Neptune project for swimming, From Carbon to Gold for sailing and THPCA (very high performance in cycling and rowing). From there, we put ourselves at the service of coaches and athletes”}}”>The government has funded several research projects to the tune of 20 million euros over four years. There is the Neptune project for swimming, From Carbon to Gold for sailing and THPCA (very high performance in cycling and rowing). From there, we put ourselves at the service of coaches and athletesexplains the researcher.

When I say that we “put ourselves at service”, it is not the evangelization of the Papuans.

It’s not the scientists who arrive and explain to the coach, who has spent his life in the field, what to do to performwould like to clarify the researcher.

Researcher Christophe ClanetPhoto: Lindken

Christophe Clanet gives this first example of track cycling to explain his work.

measurements per second. This is what we used for the Tokyo Games.”,”text”:”The question we were asked was to determine the power injected by the sprinters during standing start races, he says . The coach wanted to know exactly the strength of each leg from the first pedal strokes. We therefore installed sensors on the pedals, which analyzed 100 measurements per second. This is what we used for the Tokyo Games.”}}”>The question we were asked was to determine the power injected by the sprinters during standing start races, he says. The coach wanted to know exactly the strength of each leg from the first pedal strokes. We therefore installed sensors on the pedals, which analyzed 100 measurements per second. This is what we used for the Tokyo Games.

These analyzes allowed the French cycling team to collect 22 Olympic medals in five disciplines, notably on the track and in BMX.

The researcher now talks about the Neptune project, in swimming.

m, but also in long events, the start is crucial, he explains. What we call the start is between the plot and the 15meters. The constraint of departure is to arrive at the 15meters as quickly as possible. We have installed cameras, which are submerged but also out of the water, which will allow us to analyze the entire aerial phase.”,”text”:”For short races like the 50m, but also long events, the departure is crucial, he explains. What we call the start is between the plot and the 15 meters. The starting constraint is to get to 15 meters as quickly as possible. We have installed cameras, which are submerged but also out of the water, which will allow us to analyze the entire aerial phase.”}}”>For short races like the 50m, but also long events, the start is crucial, he explains. What we call the start is between the plot and the 15 meters. The starting constraint is to get to 15 meters as quickly as possible. We have installed cameras, which are submerged but also out of the water, which will allow us to analyze the entire aerial phase.

meters per second, and then there is a passive phase, where the swimmer does not move, because if he moves, he will slow down his course. The question that was then asked to us was: when should the swimmer be active? We applied physical laws to find the solution to the problem. Obviously, we had to adapt to each of the swimmers, who have different swimming speeds.”,”text”:”There is the entry into the water, which is done at 6 meters per second, and there then has a passive phase, where the swimmer does not move, because if he moves, he will slow down his course. The question we were then asked was: when should the swimmer be active? We applied physical laws to find the solution to the problem. Obviously, we had to adapt to each of the swimmers, who have different swimming speeds.”}}”>There is the entry into the water, which is done at 6 meters per second, and then there is a passive phase, where the swimmer does not move, because if he moves, he will slow down his course. The question that was then asked to us was: when should the swimmer be active? We applied physical laws to find the solution to the problem. Obviously, we had to adapt to each of the swimmers, who have different swimming speeds.

The biggest challenge for researchers is time. We know that research takes time and, conversely, athletes want quick answers to correct the situation. So how did we come to put it all together?

It is a particular research applied under strong time constraintsadmits the researcher.

hours, otherwise, the interaction he has with you is of no use to him, because he will forget the action he made and will no longer know where he needs to correct it. We will therefore correct to optimize immediately. And we then have a few months to find a model that we will adapt to each swimmer.”,”text”:”An Olympic athlete wants a return very quickly, in less than 24 hours, otherwise, the interaction that he has with you is of no use to him, because he will forget the gesture he made and will no longer know where he needs to correct it. We will therefore correct to optimize immediately. And we then have a few months to find a model that we will adapt to each swimmer.”}}”>An Olympic athlete wants a return very quickly, in less than 24 hours, otherwise, the interaction he has with you is of no use to him, because he will forget the gesture he made and will no longer know where to do it. to correct. We will therefore correct to optimize immediately. And we then have a few months to find a model that we will adapt to each swimmer.

Cyclist Graeme ObreePhoto: Facebook

The research director now has a dream: to work on mental strengths.

h in Norway to break the hour record. The first day he fails and is short about 500mr. The next day, he did it again and beat Francesco Moser’s record of 445meters. When asked how he achieved the feat, he admits: \”I did everything mentally.\””,”text”:”I would like to be able to measure mental strength in kilos, he said. I started from the story of Graeme Obree. In 1993, he rented a velodrome for 24 hours in Norway to break the hour record. The first day, he failed and was about 500m short. The next day, he did it again and beat Francesco Moser’s record of 445 meters. When asked how he achieved the feat, he admits: “I did it all mentally.\””}}”>I would like to be able to measure mental strength in kilos, he says. I started from the story of Graeme Obree. In 1993, he rented a velodrome for 24 hours in Norway to break the hour record. The first day, he failed and was about 500 m short. The next day, he did it again and beat Francesco Moser’s record by 445 meters. When asked how he achieved the feat, he admits: “I did it all mentally.”

The researcher will check everything to find out what happened during these 24 hours, even analyzing the density of the air. Nothing had changed.

Christophe Clanet wanted to understand how Obree had managed, in 24 hours, to cover 900 meters of the 51.596 km record.

He now wants to measure mental strength.

Mental strengths exist, all coaches know this, and they are different for each individual, just as muscular strengths are different. But the idea of ​​being able to measure them is really stimulating for a physicist.

Certainly, similar experiences have been made here too. We have worked, for example, on aerodynamics in skiing since the 1970s, which led to the fabulous results of Crazy Canucks. Virtual reality was also used to simulate situations and better prepare athletes. Biomechanists are also at work at the National Sports Institute, but never have we brought together as many researchers as France currently does to associate them with Olympic teams.

So, when will there be a Canadian multidisciplinary scientific team that will join forces to improve the performance of athletes?