What Speed Is That Moving At?

Grenadian Olympic decathlete Lindon Victor recently won the bronze medal in the discus event, throwing the discus at an impressive speed of 46 miles per hour. The New York Times highlighted the importance of speed in various Olympic sports, ranging from the fast-flying badminton birdie to the slow and heavy shot-put. They emphasized how speed plays a critical role in determining who wins a medal, whether an object can travel great distances, confuse opponents, or keep an arrow true. The article compared the light and fast badminton birdie made of goose feathers to the slow and heavy shot-put weighing 16 pounds, which an athlete must throw more than three-quarters of a basketball court to win an Olympic medal. The article also mentioned the methodology used to collect the speeds of these objects, including the use of a sports radar gun to track their peak speeds. Various sources, including U.S.A. Archery, Lancaster Archery Academy, and Olympic bronze medalist Chris Huffins, were consulted for the article. As spectators watch the Olympic Games, they are encouraged to consider how an object’s speed can impact the outcome of the events.

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Photo credit www.nytimes.com