This Summer continues to be action packed with largescale sporting events including Euro 2024, the Olympics, and the Paralympics amongst others.
With Spain crowned the European champions in the football, the Olympic Games are just around the corner. Over 200 nations take part in this huge international sporting event which takes place once every four years, with top athletes travelling to a host country to compete in their chosen sport.
This time, taking place in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024, the games will feature some 10,500 athletes competing in 329 events across 32 sports.
The Paralympic Games commences from 28 August to 8 September, with 4,400 athletes competing in 549 events across 22 sports.
So where did it start?...
Dating back to 776 BC, the first Olympic Games took place in ancient Greece. In the early years there were fewer events, and only free men who spoke Greek could compete. The Games were held only at Olympia instead of moving around to different sites every time. The introduction of the modern Olympic Games in 1896 widening the number of sports and diversity of the event.
The five symbolic interlocking rings of the Olympics signifies the meeting of the athletes from the five continents: Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.
The Olympic flag features the five interlinked rings (blue, yellow, black, green, and red) on a white background. Every country that participates in the Olympics has at least one of the five colours in their national flag.
The Olympic torch is an iconic part of every Games held. It symbolises the connection between the modern Games with the ancient heritage. The first Torch relay took place in 1936 during the Berlin games. The torch is lit in Olympia, Greece and taken to the host country of the games that year, carried by leaders, celebrities, and athletes.
From thrilling sports, the dedication, and inspirational achievements of the athletes to intriguing flag designs, the Olympics provides a unique opportunity to see and experience the diversity of the world.
Whilst training is critical to achieving the best performance for an athlete, it is also all about what foods they put in their mouths.
So, what do athletes eat?
Healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks provide the nutrients they need to do well in their chosen sport. Besides getting the right amount of calories, eating a variety of nutritious foods will help them perform at their best. For professional athletes, getting personalised nutrition advice from a qualified sports nutritionist or dietitian is likely to be an important part of their training support.
An athletes diet reflects closely the Eatwell guide as recommended for most of the population. They require lots of energy and different nutrients to help them break world records!
Wholegrain, non-refined carbohydrates feature a substantial portion of their diet. They also need plenty of protein – fish, lean meat and poultry, beans to support muscle growth and repair. Dairy and non-dairy alternatives provide them with other essential nutrients such as calcium, essential for bone strength. We talk about the importance of Strive for 5 A DAY... but some athlete meal plans include NINE fruit and vegetable servings each day! High-quality fats found in foods like olive oil, nuts and avocados will also feature in their diet.
Olympic athletes need energy to get through intense competitions. We know that the way to get that energy is through food, but it is important to remember that different sports need diverse sources of food and nutrients. With different sports comes varying amounts and intensity of activity.
Weightlifters can eat five to seven meals a day! But it is not just any food, they still need to be mindful of the types of food their bodies need to perform to their best. To support their muscles they need high quality, lean protein, such as beans, meat, fish, milk, and eggs.
Long-distance sports like running, cycling, or swimming use up a lot of energy. A regular adult man uses around 2,500 calories a day. Marathon runners or Olympic athletes for examples can use up as much as 8,000 calories a day! It has been said that the Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps ate up to 10,000 calories a day whilst he trained for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games!
Another interesting fact (albeit on a slightly tedious food-based link) gymnasts can soar up to 10metres high during an Olympic trampoline display— about the height of a stack of 90 soup cans!
That said, not all sports require enormous amounts of energy. With archery, you must stand still as you shoot your arrows. Depending on the athlete's weight, they can burn as little as six calories per minute. There is even an event within the sport where the athletes lay on their stomachs whilst aiming! So, whilst they do not require vast amounts of energy, these sports do need a lot of focus, though. As part of their diet, the athletes opt for food and drinks that boost their concentration.
It is important for athletes to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, which can zap strength, energy, and coordination and lead to heat-related illness. Even mild dehydration can affect athletic performance. Athletes cannot rely on thirst to tell if they are getting dehydrated. Thirst is a sign that their body has needed liquids for a while.
Our bodies sweat to stay cool. When athletes are training hard, their body temperature rises. They sweat a lot to cool down, and therefore need to take on plenty of fluids afterward to restore fluid lost through sweating process.
Whilst we recommend 6-8 cups of fluid for the average person per day, an Olympic athlete may need between 4- 5.5 litres of fluid to ensure they stay hydrated!
Getting into the spirit…
Whilst we may not all be able to travel to France to watch the Olympics in-person we can enjoy it via various streams. Why not embrace the Olympic spirit be ultra creative and include flags as part of a meal or snack preparation - with red, white, and blue patriotic recipes or Olympic ring themed dips or bagel toppers!
Don’t forget there are also some great international recipes available on our PhunkyFoods website in the Recipes section to try too.
Athletics has been part of the Games since Athens 1896, so take a break from watching the screen and create your own mini-Olympics by setting up a series of competitions in running, jumping, and throwing with the family, friends, and neighbours!
If you are looking for further activities our Olympics topic page can be found here, along with some great ideas across the subject areas.
