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There are 14 different freestyle races in the Olympics, more than any other stroke.

Which Freestyle Method Would Help You Beat Michael Phelps?

Scientists examine the difference between two distinct freestyle strokes in order to determine the most efficient stroke around

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The Swimsuit Series, Part 4: A Competitive Swimmer’s Musings

In Leanne Shapton’s Swimming Studies “Bathing” chapter, there’s a story behind every suit

Greg Louganis competes in a diving event held in August 1984 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

Greg Louganis’ Guide to Watching Diving

The gold medalist offers a cheat sheet on his sport’s rules, maneuvers and slang

Sada Jacobson Baby (right) of the United States battles with Leonore Perrus of France in the bronze medal match in the Women's Team Sabre event at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Sada Jacobson Bâby’s Guide to Watching Fencing

The silver medalist explains the equipment, rules and maneuvers of her sport

Tara Nott Cunningham attempts a snatch during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Tara Nott Cunningham’s Guide to Watching Weightlifting

The gold medalist offers a cheat sheet on her sport’s rules, maneuvers and slang

Butch Johnson draws his bow during the Olympic Men's Archery competition in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.

Butch Johnson’s Guide to Watching Archery

The gold medalist offers a cheat sheet on his sport’s rules, maneuvers and slang

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Return of the King Salmon

In the ocean waters just off California’s Central Coast, the fish are swarming this summer like they haven’t in years

In Sports, Winning Streaks Are Just Flukes

Winning streaks are engrained into our sports psyches, but are they actually a legitimate phenomoenon?

Oscar Pistorius

Double-Amputee Oscar Pistorius Will Compete In Olympics 400 Meter Race Without Qualifying

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Swimsuit Series, Part 3: Is Today Truly the 66th Anniversary of the First Bikini?

The two-piece bathing suit got skimpier and more scandalous in 1946 Paris

Does it get any better than this? Trees, shade, green grass and a pair of horizontal bars beside the Dordogne River, in Souillac, add up to one of the finest outdoor workout stations in France.

Fitness Afar: Great Places to Hang Out at the Bar

Going abroad needn’t mean going flabby—globe-trotters can find pull-up bars and other outdoor gymnastics equipment in some of the most unexpected places

Choking may be most painful in sports, where athletes bungle moves they've spent a lifetime perfecting.

The Science of Choking Under Pressure

With amateurs and pros clamoring for answers, a psychologist who studies screw-ups comes through in the clutch

Olympic organizers plan to conduct 5,000 drug tests—an unprecedented number—during the London Games.

The Top Athletes Looking for an Edge and the Scientists Trying to Stop Them

Behind the scenes there will be a high-tech, high-stakes competition between Olympic athletes who use banned substances and drug testers out to catch them

There are few soccer players better suited to play goalie than the perfectly named Hope Solo. A self-described loner, she is the best player on the U.S. women's soccer team, and its most outspoken.

Hope Solo Drops Her Guard

As her controversial new memoir will show, the leader of the U.S. women’s soccer team has always defended her turf

At Dorney Lake, scullers try out for Britain’s Olympic women’s rowing team.

300 Years of Rowing on the Thames

There must be something in the water at Eton, where rowing rules as the sport of choice

The Games may not exist at all were it not for the perseverance of the Brits.

The Paris Olympics

The Little-Known History of How the Modern Olympics Got Their Start

Acclaimed sportswriter Frank Deford connects the modern Games to their unlikely origin—in rural England

Jim Thorpe's epic performance in the 15 events that made up the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Summer Games remains the most solid reflection we have of him.

Why Are Jim Thorpe’s Olympic Records Still Not Recognized?

In 1912, Jim Thorpe became the greatest American Olympian of all time, but not if you ask the IOC

The Top 10 Biggest Sports #Fails of All Time

For athletes on the world stage, nothing is worse than choking under pressure. Here are the 10 most memorable transgressors

Frank Deford of Real Sports for HBO.

Frank Deford on Bloggers, the Olympics and 51 years of Sportswriting

The legendary writer for Sports Illustrated dishes on, among other things, the changing relationship between athletes and the journalists who cover them

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Spanx on Steroids: How Speedo Created the New Record-Breaking Swimsuit

After Olympic officials banned the swimsuit that caused records to fall at the 2008 games, scientists are back with a new outfit that might break even more

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