Mental Links to Excellence

1988 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Orlick ◽  
John Partington
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Optimal Performance ◽  
Mental Skills ◽  
Common Elements ◽  
Performance Outcome ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
The Olympic Games

This study included 235 Canadian Olympic athletes who participated in the 1984 Olympic Games in Sarajevo and Los Angeles. Individual interviews were carried out with 75 athletes and a questionnaire was completed by another 160 to assess their mental readiness for the Olympic Games and factors related to mental readiness. Common elements of success were identified, as well as factors that interfered with optimal performance at the Olympic Games. Statistically significant links were found between Olympic performance outcome and certain mental skills.

scholarly journals “Time for Recovery” or “Utter Uncertainty”? The Postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Through the Eyes of Olympic Athletes and Coaches. A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violetta Oblinger-Peters ◽  
Björn Krenn
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Levels Of Abstraction ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
The Postponement ◽  
The Olympic Games

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire globe, including the world of high-performance sports. Accordingly, it has been widely assumed that the thereby caused postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games could have negative psychological impacts for aspirants, since they were halted abruptly in the pursuit of their Olympic endeavors and their daily lives drastically altered. Considering the sudden nature of the pandemic, few researchers, if any, have yet scrutinized the individual experience of Olympic aspirants. This qualitative study examines the subjective perceptions of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games postponement among Austrian Olympic athletes and coaches. To this end, 21 Austrian athletes (13 male, 8 female; mean age = 26.67 ± 4.93 years) and six male coaches were recruited through a criterion-based purposive sampling strategy. Five athletes had already qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and 15 athletes were still in an ongoing qualification process. Data was collected by means of short written statements, elicited via open-format questions on an anonymous online survey platform. In order to infer meaning from the text, a qualitative content analysis with an interpretative focus was conducted inductively, which allowed for deriving alternative explanations of findings. The results support the notion that the Olympic postponement was experienced in myriad ways by affected participants. Three general themes comprised of several meaning units of different levels of abstraction were created from the text data. Many respondents experienced an immediate emotional reaction to the postponement characterized by confusion, disappointment and/or relief. Participants associated multiple consequences with the postponement, such as the prolongation of physical and psychological pressure, a lack of motivation, concerns about future performance, living and their occupational career, but also the opportunity for performance improvement and recovery. Respondents displayed various coping strategies, such as distancing themselves from sports, cognitive reframing, appealing for acceptance, and planning behavior. This study gleans first insights into the idiosyncratic experience of the Olympic Games 2020 postponement among Austrian aspirants. The findings could serve to assist sport psychologists in their applied practice by informing them about athletes’ and coaches’ needs in their Olympic preparation during the ongoing pandemic.

Performance Factors and Strategies Favored by French Olympic Athletes

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Helene Joncheray ◽  
Fabrice Burlot ◽  
Nicolas Besombes ◽  
Sébastien Dalgalarrondo ◽  
Mathilde Desenfant
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mental Preparation ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Parallel Network ◽  
Physical Preparation ◽  
The Olympic Games

This article presents the performance factors identified by Olympic athletes and analyzes how they were prioritized and implemented during the 2012–2016 Olympiad. To address this issue, 28 semistructured interviews were conducted with French athletes who participated in the Olympic Games in 2016. The analysis shows that to achieve performance, only two factors were implemented by all the athletes: training and physical preparation. The other factors, namely, mental preparation, nutrition, and recovery care, were not implemented by all athletes. In addition, two main types of configurations have been identified: a minority of athletes (n = 4) for whom the choice of performance factors and their implementation are controlled by the coach and a majority (n = 24) who adopts secondary adjustments by relying on a parallel network.

The Olympic Games in antiquity

2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. W. PLEKET
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
Social Background ◽  
Gold Medal ◽  
Olive Leaves ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are an invention of the ancient Greeks. They were held in Olympia in a quadrennial rhythm, without interruption for ca. 1200 years. Compared with the modern Olympics, the ancient programme was small: running events (over several distances), the pentathlon, and the so-called ‘heavy’ events: wrestling, boxing and pankration. Various equestrian events (with and without chariots) completed the programme. This programme is discussed with the athletes, their social background and ideology. Although in ancient Olympia a wreath of olive-leaves – a forerunner of our modern gold medal – was the first and only prize, there was no amateurism in Greek athletics. Olympic athletes happily participated in highly rewarding money games both before and after the Olympics. Money was not despised; abuse of money, in the form of Wine, Women and Song was criticized, but some athletes, then as now, were unable to resist the temptations of life.

Hosting the Olympics: why are we always getting the cost wrong?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maroula Khraiche ◽  
Abhinav Alakshendra
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
International Olympic Committee ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Constant Cost ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Olympic Games

PurposeIn the last 50 years, every Olympics has experienced a major cost overrun. This paper explores the reasons for this cost underestimation and looks into the occurrence of the winner's curse. We also forecast the spending pattern of future host cities. Finally, we discuss the role of the International Olympic Committee in making the Olympic Games more efficient and sustainable.Design/methodology/approachThe review of literature on the topic of constant cost overrun in the Olympic Games is surprisingly very thin. We comprehensively review the existing literature to understand the scholarship in this area. This paper also produces future cost trends for the host cities.FindingsWe argue that cost underestimation is resulting from the outdated bid process which encourages spectacle over efficiency. A no-bid environment is more efficient and allows the host city to negotiate effectively with the International Olympic Committee. The Los Angeles Games of 1984 was profitable and has shown reusing the infrastructure can save a lot of money which could help make the Olympic Games economically sustainable.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the existing knowledge on the cost overrun aspect of Olympics financing. We also forecast the cost trends of hosting future Olympics.

scholarly journals Exploring the Experiences and Well-Being of Australian Rio Olympians During the Post-Olympic Phase: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Bennie ◽  
Courtney C. Walton ◽  
Donna O’Connor ◽  
Lauren Fitzsimons ◽  
Thomas Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Elite Athlete ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
The Olympic Games

Research about the Olympic Games has primarily focused on preparing athletes for competition. Less attention has been paid to the post-Olympic-phase (POP) and athlete well-being during this time. This study explored Australian Olympic athletes’ experiences following the conclusion of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, including the factors that may have contributed to or challenged their well-being during this time. Eighteen athletes participated in semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis revealed that when Olympic performance appraisal met prior expectations, when athletes planned for a return to work or study, and when support from a variety of sources was readily available, this positively influenced athletes’ well-being during the POP. When these factors were not in place, more challenging post-Games experiences were present, and well-being was compromised. The findings contribute to the broader literature on elite athlete well-being and at an applied level, may be used to inform targeted programs that focus on supporting athletes after an Olympic campaign.

The Effects of Significant International Sports Events on Hungarian Suicide Rates

Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karoly Bozsonyi ◽  
Peter Osvath ◽  
Sandor Fekete ◽  
Lajos Bálint
Keyword(s):  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Arima Model ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Intervention Analysis ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Sport Events ◽  
The Olympic Games

Abstract. Background: Several studies found a significant relationship between important sport events and suicidal behavior. Aims: We set out to investigate whether there is a significant relationship between the raw suicide rate and the most important international sports events (Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship) in such an achievement-oriented society as the Hungarian one, where these sport events receive great attention. Method: We examined suicide cases occurring over 15,706 days between January 1, 1970, and December 31, 2012 (43 years), separately for each gender. Because of the age-specific characteristics of suicide, the effects of these sport events were analyzed for the middle-aged (30–59 years old) and the elderly (over 60 years old) generations as well as for gender-specific population groups. The role of international sport events was examined with the help of time-series intervention analysis after cyclical and seasonal components were removed. Intervention analysis was based on the ARIMA model. Results: Our results showed that only the Olympic Games had a significant effect in the middle-aged population. Neither in the older male nor in any of the female age groups was a relationship between suicide and Olympic Games detected. Conclusion: The Olympic Games seem to decrease the rate of suicide among middle-aged men, slightly but significantly.

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