COVER STORY
Olympics
Kurt Andersen and his guest, sports journalist Diana Nyad, look at the art of sports.

Swifter, Higher, Stronger
Athletes threw javelins at the ancient Olympic Games. But in recent years throwers have become so proficient that the javelin was redesigned to keep it from hitting runners at the other end of the stadium. From running shoes to swimsuits to discuses, the design of equipment is constantly challenging sports regulations. Steve Nelson has our story.
Go to Gill Athletics Sport Equipment Website
Go to USA Track & Field and check out Statistics and Records

Fancy Diving
Diving has always been a sport of aesthetics: it's not how fast you hit the water, it's how good you look going down. But the sport is changing. The focus is moving away from precision and grace, and towards complex acrobatic moves. Dave Johns tells us why the classic jackknife may soon be a dive of the past.
Go to a website about the history of diving
Go to the 2004 Olympic USA Diving Team's website
Go to a website about the 1904 Olympic Diving Debut
Go to a website about H.U.'s new book "In Praise of Athletic Beauty"

Olympic Architecture
Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics, realized architecture could affect the success of the games. He challenged architects to create a sacred space for sport. Matt Holzman of KCRW in Santa Monica has the story of how architecture for the Olympics has become a sport of its own.
Go to Santiago Calatrava's website
Go to the Bligh Voller Nield Architects website
Go to New York 2012 Olympics bid website
Go to Morphosis Architects' website

SPECIAL GUEST
Diana Nyad
Diana Nyad holds the world's record for longest unaided swim in history, for both men and women. She set it in 1979 when she swam 102.5 miles from the island of Bimini the Florida. She's since forged a successful career in sports journalism. Over the last twenty years she's covered the Olympics for several news outlets including ABC and Fox. And next week, she'll be headed to Athens for National Public Radio and the New York Times.
Go to Swim Across America to find out more about Diana Nyad's record

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Design for the Real World
Paola Antonelli, design curator at the Museum of Modern Art, finds sublime design in a rubber-soled wonder -- the sneaker.

More Than Midi
Video games have surpassed Hollywood movies as a money making industry. And while video game music of yesterday consisted of simple blips and beeps, today game scores are being composed for full orchestras. Allison Lirish Dean explains how video game music has gone from midi to Mozart.
Go to Andy Brick's website
Go to the 2004 Symphonic Game Music Concert website

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