The Olympic Games are a display of athleticism, team spirit, and inspiration. With more than 200 countries participating, the Olympics is where the world watches a diverse group of individuals push the boundaries of human potential.

However, modern competitions have evolved into complex events, demanding efficiency beyond the stadium. Elite sports and the pursuit of improved athletic performance are now closely interconnected. Behind the awe-inspiring accomplishments is a collaboration between researchers, coaches, and athletes that provides new insights and contributes to a better understanding of sports performance.

These five Research Topics delve into the science behind athletic performance and how competitors can maximize their potential to achieve gold at events like the 2024 Paris Games.

All articles are available to view and download.

1 | The Physiology of the Female Athlete – Performance, Health, and Recovery

40,300 views | 14 articles

Current understanding of physiological characteristics of different populations and responses to environmental stress and exercise is primarily derived from research using male participants.

This Research Topic explores females' physiological responses to exercise testing, prescription, and training. It, therefore, deepens our knowledge of female exercise physiology and contributes to the underpinnings of enhanced physical performance, optimized recovery, and improved female health.

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2 | Towards a Psychophysiological Approach in Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sports, volume II

14,000 views | 12 articles

Recent studies provide compelling evidence of the broad and multifaceted benefits of exercise. These range from improving physical metrics such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference to enhancing mental health and subjective wellbeing.

This Research Topic discusses the impact of a psychophysiological approach on physical activity, exercise, and sports. The authors also examine the detrimental effects of sports activity limitations on mental health.

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3 | Functional Foods, Supplements, and Dietary Approaches in Sports and Clinical Nutrition

57,400 views | 12 articles

The authors of this Research Topic focus on functional foods, supplements, and dietary approaches to manage clinical care and sports. They also investigate functional foods and their therapeutic properties.

Research advances in the field of nutrition can be used to create guidelines, improve evidence-based decision-making, and improve health and performance.

Furthermore, understanding the interaction of physical exercise with dietary strategies is crucial for optimal health, performance, recovery, and muscle building.

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4 | Safeguarding in Sports

86,000 views | 18 articles

Episodes of abuse and discrimination in sports occur in all sports and levels of competition. Scholars from diverse backgrounds have been working on describing, conceptualizing, and analyzing the nature of different types of sports abuse.

Athlete welfare and safeguarding should be of central importance in all sports. This Research Topic examines how the increase in scientific research about athlete welfare reflects the growing preoccupation with fostering healthier sports environments, especially among young athletes and in grassroots sports.

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5 | Performance Optimization in Football: Advances in Theories and Practices

25,000 views | 11 articles

The playing patterns in football have changed significantly in recent seasons and will continue to evolve due to external factors and intrinsic variations in human movement. However, the traditional standard is to assess gameplay performance using qualitative game observations, which are less objective and systematic.

This Research Topic explores the dynamic and complex characteristics of football performance in both competition and training scenarios, providing evidence and practical insights for coaches and players to optimize match performance.

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