Physiology and the Olympics

Physiology plays a key role in understanding and optimizing human physical performance.For many athletes, the Olympic Games remain the pinnacle of achievement.Beyond public interest and return on (state) investment, studying the physiology of athletes provides a unique insight into the capabilities of the various systems (e.g., muscular, cardio-and cerebrovascular, respiratory) that can support basic and clinical research.This was the premise upon which a call was made for the current Special Issue on 'Physiology and the Olympics' , focused on advancing our physiological understanding of the science behind preparation for, competition in, and recovery from human performance.This call was answered comprehensively: (1) 18 papers in total, whose corresponding authors span nine countries (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, UK and USA); (2) article categories including Myths and Methodologies (1), Short Communication (1), Case Reports (3), Reviews (4) and Research Articles (8); (3) subject areas that embrace Cardiovascular Control, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Environmental and Exercise, Muscle and Neuroscience; and (4) athlete (participant) categories that comprise cycling, running, jumping, throwing, swimming, football (soccer), sailing, alpine skiing, kayaking, weight-and power-lifting, CrossFit, esports, speed-skating, skeleton, biathlon, triathlon and decathlon.No matter your interest, this Special Issue has something to whet your physiological appetite! 2 AEROBIC CAPACITY AND PREDICTION OF PERFORMANCE A case report by Zubac et al. (2025) provided a retrospective analysis of world-class Laser Standard sailors through cardiopulmonary exercise testing.These sailors are renowned for their agile 'hiking' skills, whereby quasi-isometric bilateral and multi-joint movements account for up to 90% of the upwind time, strongly relate to neuromuscular fatigue and play a pivotal role in sailing performance.They report that well-balanced aerobic power is vital for superior sailing performance, whilst oxygen pulse measures over 6 years were noted not to change, indicative of compensatory cardiovascular mechanisms.