While Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova was competing on the balance beam in the women’s Olympic all-around final, her name rang out across the arena, but its pronunciation was decidedly American. The U.S. gymnasts sitting in the stands were cheering her on as she went through her leaps and jumps. And as she set up for […]
Sport climbing is making its debut at the Olympic Games this year. To win a medal, 20 men and 20 women will each compete in three separate events: lead, speed and boulder. To explain what differentiates the three events, what all the climbing lingo means and what it will take to win gold, Tokyo Olympics […]
Sport climbers have a lot to worry about during competition: the difficulty of the climb, the risk of falling, the distractions from spectators and the speed of their opponent. But Olympic climber Alannah Yip has found a way to work through her anxiety using a mindfulness technique called “color breathing.” This practice helps her get […]
The women’s 1,500-meter swim made its Olympic debut Wednesday in Tokyo, which meant NBC’s camera operators experienced a struggle previously known to only a few others: They had to film gold medalist Katie Ledecky’s race and make it look close. “She’s got a trail group of three swimmers below her,” announcer Dan Hicks said about […]
A typical NBA draft prospect’s scouting report is likely to include a few common attributes listed as strengths: “athletic,” “long wingspan,” “playmaker.” One characteristic that rarely appears as a strength? “Old.” It’s no secret that over the years, NBA teams have selected fewer and fewer players who spent four years at a U.S. college, prioritizing […]