Just how far can the human body go? In their ongoing quest for sporting greatness, athletes are turning more and more to science for answers.

Beatriz Alonso reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Ultimate athletes are people who are mentally and physically the best they can be.

In order to be the best version of themselves, they need to go through a very complex process.

Gene Moyle, QUT: “There has been a multitude of different areas that can contribute to that. So everything through from medicine to sports science, psychology by mechanics and obviously psychology you know will use different types of strategies, different types of information to help people enhance what it is they are doing in sports.”

There might seem there is an actual finish line where we will achieve the ultimate athlete.

But many consider this an ongoing process.

David Bishop, Victoria University: “I don’t think we’ll ever achieve the ultimate athlete. There will be always be room for improvement.”

Athletes will always try new methods to stand out from their opponents.

This can lead to ethical issues like supplements, or even drugs.

Lynley Anderson, University of Otago: “If someone is using a performance enhancing drug and maybe it’s an illegal performance enhancing drug, there is a great deal of pressure on the other athletes who are not using to use that.”

Over the years athletes have developed different training techniques to improve their performance and win competitions.

We might never achieve the ultimate athlete but with training, nutrition, psychology and technology we can take athletes to the next level.

Beatriz Alonso, QUT News.