Dear Cindy,

I know of nothing that revs me up to set more-challenging fitness goals like watching the Olympics. It is simply amazing what these men and women achieve, and it makes this 50-something work harder. Despite this, I know they have something that most of us don't. What would you say are the most important qualities that make an Olympic athlete? - Don

Dear Don,

Wow - an inspiring question! I'll start with by citing three words spoken by Henri Martin Didon, a college principal in Paris who ended a speech with "citius, altius, fortius," which means "swifter, higher, stronger." Pierre de Coubertin, who formed the International Olympic Committee and is recognized as the father of the modern-day Olympics, was so inspired by these words that they became the Olympic motto.

I think we would all agree that the drive to be swifter, higher and stronger is visibly apparent in each and every Olympic competitor. But it takes much more than drive.

Dissecting the skills of an Olympic athlete certainly has the attention of the sports science world and would be invaluable for many reasons - to gain knowledge obviously, but also to unlock the secrets of human physiology and greatly enhance our understanding of the human body.

Scientists, franchise owners and coaches would give anything be able to predict performance based on certain qualities. Imagine how much time, money (multiyear contracts) and energy could be saved if there was a solid list of attributes to assist in talent identification. In fact, since this worldwide competitive sports event began in 1896, sports science has made numerous attempts. They have had some success and have identified the following as significant attributes that appear to improve an athlete's chances of making it to the Olympic Games:

VO2max. Seen as crucial for endurance athletes. VO2max is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual.

The ACE gene. One of the first genes identified that is associated with athletic performance. This refers to the Angio-Tensin Converting Enzyme, which is an enzyme involved in fluid balance and has an association with performance. There are many other genes that come into play, but some people who have specific variations of this gene have a higher training response and do better in endurance events.

Being genetically predisposed to a specific sport. Examine different sports and you will soon see the clear prototype (body type) for each. For example, you'll probably never see a 250-pound person excel as an endurance runner or gymnast and, likewise, you won't see a small-framed person make it as a sumo wrestler or power lifter.

Self-selection. Provided an athlete has the right genes and chooses the right sport, he will usually excel. Individuals will be drawn to activities in which they do well and will stop participating in activities they do not.

Environment. Exposure to the appropriate environment to facilitate the exploitation of superior genes. It is recognized that for every elite athlete who makes it to the Olympics, there are countless others who possess the genes for an equally superior athletic performance. However, they are working full-time desk jobs instead of training six days a week. The fact that they were not exposed to the right environment prohibits them from ending up as one of these elite athletes.

Other qualities generally accepted but difficult to measure found in Olympic athletes are:

Clearly, there are many other attributes that may be added to this list, and it grows as we learn more about human performance. But I believe what is most important for us to note, as we watch the games and observe the amazing gifts seemingly bestowed upon these Olympic specimens, goes right back to the motto "Swifter, higher, stronger": The modern-day Olympics began through the efforts of Pierre de Coubertin, who firmly believed that all people should strive to live by this motto whether they are an aspiring athlete or simply a spectator.

We can debate performance prediction forever, but I am convinced that it is the imperceptible attributes that enable superior athletes to become so swift, so high and so strong that they become Olympians. The signature Olympic torch reflects more than light. For me, it is the beacon that guides them, pushes them, elevates them, distinguishes them and essentially lights the fire beneath them to forge them into physical champions.

The fact that the games serve to make us work harder and set loftier goals make them necessary and valuable. The effort and perseverance displayed in any physical challenge is victory itself.

Finally, the Olympic Creed says it best and we, the millions of spectators, would fare far better if we all embraced this message as well:

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

Cindy Boggs, fitness presenter, author and Activate America director, has been an ACE-certified coordinator/instructor since 1989. Send your questions about fitness, training or health to YMCA of Kanawha Valley, 100 YMCA Drive, Charleston, WV 25311, or e-mail cindys...@aol.com. Look for Cindy's fitness advice book, "CindySays ... You Can Find Health in Your Hectic World" on her Web site www.cindysays.com or contact the YMCA at 340-3527.