Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Is AI a curse or a blessing for education?
Oped, Matthew Robert Ferguson, Published on 17/08/2024
» My collegiate rowing coach at the University of Western Ontario was an eccentric West German named Dr Volker Nolte, a stocky and imposing figure who was only funny when he didn't mean to be. He was a biomechanics wizard, obsessing over the countervailing forces of the rower and shell, currents and winds, blades and water. In the early 80s, as part of his doctoral research, he designed a sliding rigger that moved along the hull of the boat on slides in tandem with the rower, which, when compared to a fixed rigger, effectively doubled the force and propulsion of every stroke. It made second-tier rowers competitive with the best in the world.
Many faces of Olympic triumph
News, Howard Chua-Eoan, Published on 15/08/2024
» I was a messy Olympics fan. During the Games in Paris, I rooted for several national delegations. Because I was born in the Philippines, I cheered for the Filipinos. I'm ethnic Chinese, so I was thrilled by the achievements of China, Hong Kong and, uhm, Chinese Taipei. I'm an American citizen, so I'm happy when Team USA is No 1 (or 2 or 3). I live in London, so whenever the UK medalled, I experienced frissons of delight.
Risky and unsafe
Postbag, Published on 31/07/2024
» Re: "New train tunnel closes for clean-up", (BP, July 30).
When Bangkok bid for the Olympics
Roger Crutchley, Published on 28/07/2024
» It's been 100 years since the last Paris Olympics which was dramatically portrayed in the stirring 1981 film Chariots of Fire. I can still picture that opening scene with the British athletes running along the beach to the sounds of that Vangelis anthem. It's hard to believe that was made 43 years ago. If this year's Olympics are even half as exciting as the 1924 event it will be an achievement.
Nike shoes aren't performance-enhancing drugs
News, Adam Minter, Published on 24/10/2023
» World records in marathons have toppled like track hurdles in recent weeks. Tigst Assefa, the new women's record holder, beat the old one by more than two minutes. Kelvin Kiptum, the latest men's record holder, took 34 seconds off his predecessor's time. These are astonishing accomplishments. But not everybody is crediting the athletes. Instead, critics argue that Assefa and Kiptum couldn't have run at top speeds without a new generation of high-performance "super shoes". Some go so far as to equate the souped-up shoes to performance-enhancing drugs.
Rise of mixed-sex athletics will be good for sport
News, FD Flam, Published on 11/09/2023
» The assumption that an athlete's birth sex dictates his or her performance level has made transgender participation in sports a lightning rod -- but the issue is moot in a growing number of coed sports, from competitive sailing to pickleball to esports. And in the future, athletics are likely to evolve so that mixed-gender competition becomes much more common. That will lead to a rise in sports that are just as riveting, but more inclusive.
Rip off the masks
Oped, Postbag, Published on 30/03/2023
» Re: "More than a forced smile," (Editorial, March 27).
Options for farmers
Oped, Postbag, Published on 29/03/2023
» Re: "How Vietnam is trying to stop rice warming the planet", (BP, March 24).
Level the playing field
News, Published on 26/03/2023
» Re: "Trans women banned from female athletics," (BP, March 24).
Here's cheers to the 'Fab 6'
News, Postbag, Published on 27/06/2021
» Re: "'Fabulous women' of Thailand", (BP, June 22).