The ultimate goal of every athlete is to compete in the Olympics with the finest. They had to push themselves beyond their comfort zones and risk their bodies in order to accomplish that. As with food and water for the rest of us, this implies that minor wounds, tiredness, and recovery are just a fact of life for them. And for many of them, making these sacrifices is all it takes to earn a medal.
1. Bartosz Huzarski demonstrates how his legs altered as an amateur rider as opposed to a professional cyclist.
2. An x-ray depicting the shape of a gymnast’s body during a workout
3. Hidilyn Diaz, a weightlifter from the Philippines, has scars on her hands.
4. Ice bath with a 30 lb block of ice for Ryan Lochte
5. Most athletes do Cupping therapy
6. Result of cupping Therapy, Marks Leave There After
7. Eythora Thorsdottir, a gymnast, has extraordinary flexibility.
8. Anthony Ervin, a swimmer, shaves everything save his head.
9. Olympic cyclist Robert Foerstemann has oversized quads
10. A swarm of box jellyfish struck marathon swimmer Diana Nyad in 2011 when she was swimming in the ocean.
11. Nadia Comaneci, who ranks in the top 10 in gymnastics, has ideal legs and posture.
12. Olympic gold medallist and rower Alex Gregory’s hands after hours of wearing damp gloves
Which image shocked you the most and brought home the point that athletes work extremely hard to achieve their potential?
Preview photo credit m_phelps00 / instagram, ddp images/AFP/EAST NEWS
