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Photograph by Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images
A rhythmic gymnast shows off her flexibility in the 2004 Olympic Games. She's lucky that skin (our largest organ) allows a lot of stretching and bending—the average adult carries 22 square feet (2 square meters) of skin! -
Photograph by John Gaps III/AP Photo
An American gymnast soars above the balance beam during her routine in the 1996 Olympic Games. While this athlete is focused on her routine, her brain stem is also working hard—controlling important bodily functions such as her reflexes, breathing, and heart rate. -
Photograph by Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS
Three Ethiopian runners race for the gold during the 10,000-meter race at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Athletes from high-altitude countries, such as Ethiopia, Morocco, and Kenya, have a natural advantage. Their blood is rich in hemoglobin, which carries oxygen through the body and gives these runners extra fuel during a long race. -
Photograph by David J. Phillip/AP Photo
Swedish athlete Stefan Holm pushes himself to the limit in the high jump competition in the 2004 Olympic Games. His heart must be in top shape, delivering blood and nutrients efficiently along a 60,000-mile-long (97,000-kilometer-long) network of vessels. -
Photograph by Mike Blake/REUTERS
Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee soars past spectators during the long jump at the 2000 U.S. trials. Athletes go through very demanding training for the Olympic trials. This hard work strengthens the human heart, which is made up of cardiac muscle that beats about 100,000 times per day. -
Photograph by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Swimmer Michael Phelps surges to a win in the 200-meter individual medley at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, setting a world record. Most elite male swimmers, such as Phelps, are over six feet (two meters) tall. Their height gives these athletes longer and more powerful strokes. -
Photograph by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Two Canadians participate in the women's synchronized diving competition at the 2004 Olympic Games. Each diver relies on her cerebellum, which is the part of the brain controlling movement and balance, to complete the dive in synch. -
Photograph by Reinhard Krause/REUTERS
Gold medalist Teng Haibin, from China, performs his winning pommel horse routine at the 2004 Olympics. Gymnasts need lots of oxygen during this intense routine—in fact, a gymnast's lungs will breathe in between 2,100 to 2,400 gallons (8,000 to 9,000 liters) of air each day! -
Photograph by Damir Sagolj/REUTERS
Wu Minxia twists above the pool in the women's three-meter springboard dive at the 2004 Olympic Games. Divers, such as China's Wu, have less than three seconds before they hit the water and must practice the same dive hundreds of times before competing.
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