It’s hard to believe four years have passed since the last summer Olympic Games, but opening ceremonies are set to kick off this year’s contests this evening. Athletes have gathered from all over the world to outrun, outjump, outswim, and out-throw their competitors. It will be exciting to watch as each seeks to do their very best.
While all eyes are on Paris for this year’s events, let’s remember the animal athletes that perform amazing fetes of strength and speed day in and day out, several of which were highlighted in a recent Answers Magazine article. For example, while 1,105 pounds is the world record for the deadlift, gorillas can move over two tons with relative ease!
But the medals for weight lifted compared to body size all go to insects. While leafcutter ants can lift 50 times their own weight, rhinoceros beetles can lift over 100 times theirs! That would be like you bench-pressing a train car. (I hope you’ve got a good spotter!) But the weightlifting champion of the animal kingdom is the lowly dung beetle toting over 1,140 times its own bulk which would be comparable to me lifting a bulldozer. I need a little more time at the gym before I’m ready for that.
When it comes to speed, the fastest humans sprint at up to 27 miles per hour. And while that leaves me in the dust, we all know many animals far exceed us including horses at 30mph and the sleek cheetahs at up to 75. This doesn’t even consider birds which are speed demons beyond compare.
Swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports with Michael Phelps garnering 28 medals during his career including 23 golds. But even the quickest aquatic humans are left in the wakes of sailfish at 68mph and black marlins at a blistering 82. Researchers are still probing fish and other marine creatures to improve not only techniques, but also swimwear for maximum performance.
When it comes to diving, Olympic performers are judged on twists, turns, and splash. What happens underwater is ignored although some humans have delved to over 700 feet without oxygen. That, however, is nothing compared to Cuvier’s Beaked whales, one of which spent nearly four hours diving to almost 10,000 feet while pausing its digestion, kidney function and liver operation to conserve oxygen.
Jesse Owens held the long jump record for 25 years with a distance of 26 feet, 8 inches. Today, Bob Beamon’s record of 29 feet, 2.5 inches set in 1968 is dwarfed by a snow leopard’s ability to cover the length of a 50 foot school bus. Tree frogs, however, can jump 43 times their own length and fleas can cover over 200 times theirs. Even a pogo stick wouldn’t take me that far.
Boxing greats George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and others all competed in the Olympics at some point. While some boxers have landed blows measured at 1500 pounds per square inch, the mantis shrimp is very tiny but punches at 337 pounds. Their punches are so fast and powerful, they actually create heat, light, and sound.
Javier Sotomayor of Cuba owns the world record high jump at just over 8 feet which he set in 1993. And while that is far above anything I could ever attempt, we’ve all watched whitetails clear fences even higher. From a running start, deer can soar to over 12 feet. Dolphins, however, leap 20 feet above the waves but the tiny flea again takes the gold when compared to body height with 150 times. That would be like you or me clearing a 60 story building.
As we marvel at the athletic prowess of the best competitors in the world, let’s remember that the fastest and strongest are in the Paris zoo and aquarium, not the Olympic pools or stadiums. And as we do, let’s praise their Creator who made them and us both. Blessings, George