Fourth-Place Medal, a Yahoo! Sports blog covering the Summer Olympics in Beijing

Fourth-Place Medal

Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:11 pm EDT

The mystery of the honey-toting gymnasts

By Chris Chase

When it comes to loving honey, Winnie the Pooh ain't got nothin' on Olympic gymnasts. Eagle-eyed viewers of NBC's gymnastics coverage have noticed the consistent presence of a honey bottle in, or around, the gymnast's chalk bucket. Collectively, they'd like to know what a kitchen staple is doing amongst pommel horses, uneven bars and Martha Karolyi.

Knowing where to turn with Olympic-related queries, the inquisitive readers flooded the comments sections of Fourth-Place Medal's Investigative Unit requesting -- nay, demanding -- an answer. As usual, we exist to serve. So without further adieu, FPMIU solves the mystery of the honey-toting gymnasts.

Contrary to an apparent widely-held belief, the honey is not consumed to provide a quick energy boost. There are virtually hundreds of better energy boosting options that exist (and aren't as sticky) and, frankly, somebody who is about to execute precise movements while holding onto a thin, reinforced composite plastic bar probably doesn't need to be hopped up on sugar.

The honey is actually used like Stick-um; to provide a better grip on certain elements in "hanging" events. We always see gymnasts chalk up both their apparatus (to make it easier to swing on) and hands (to prevent cracks in the skin). By placing a little honey on either their fingertips or palms (or both) gymnasts can get an even better grip on the rings or bars while swinging.

Mystery: solved. (Still unsolved; why it appears to be a German bottle of honey.)

Fourth-Place Medal's Investigative Unit likes a little honey on our English muffins. If you have an Olympic mystery you would like solved, please leave a comment below. 

Photo via Getty Images

Related: Olympic Mystery Solved

digg delicious
more

2285 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. pmmb97
    1. Posted by pmmb97 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:14 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Anyone noticed that all of a sudden the USA olympians are all coming down with a stomach virus? Can anyone say food poisoning??? After all they've done, I wouldn't put it past China to be responsible for the "stomach virus". One american runner had to drop out of a race because she was too weak from not eating. she wasn't eating cause anything she ate, she eventually vomited.
    what do you think?
  2. Chris C
    2. Posted by Chris C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:24 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I've noticed that too, Paula. Do you think it could be that nerves might be playing a role too?
  3. Joshua
    3. Posted by Joshua Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Not a conspiracy mystery, but a curiosity -
    Who are all the people bicycling behind the rowing competitions? We thought at first they may be just normal passers-by, but given ticket control and security, that seems unlikely. Plus, my wife seemed to think she had seen some bikes on multiple runs, since they had a flag or something identifying them.
    Are they spotters? With the teams? Journalists? Fans?
  4. Nigel
    4. Posted by Nigel Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:25 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Nice one Paula. Lets blame the Chinese for everything. Your comment was absolutely crazy.
  5. Nigel
    5. Posted by Nigel Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:25 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The people you see bicycling during the rowing are coaches and doctors of the teams involved.
  6. Joshua
    6. Posted by Joshua Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Thanks for confirming, swimfan!
  7. Ldt66
    7. Posted by Ldt66 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    1. I'd like to see the bugs that are caught on the beach volley ball venue at night ... I hear there huge ?
    2. What's with the Spanish basketball coach making nasty racial slurs against our obviously superior American Basketball Team ?
    3. I keep hearing that many of our team seem to be catching a nasty stomach virus ... is this food born and why ?
  8. chang
    8. Posted by chang Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I agree with Swimfan. Paula, your comment was absolutely ridiculous. After all the Chinese have done? are you kidding me??? that's just sad.
  9. Ldt66
    9. Posted by Ldt66 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The stomach virus question has nothing to do with China going into food contamination as I hear it our team has it's own chef's , nutritionist's , and cook's could it be that maybe our own might not be following safe food practices ?
  10. A Yahoo! User
    10. Posted by A Yahoo! User Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:14 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey, you know that blue line in the sand for beach volleyball for boundaries? Is it tape? Can they trip on it? What is it made of, and can it cause tripping?
  11. Joshua
    11. Posted by Joshua Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    trackstarelite - it appears to be a tape or ribbon of some sort - one of the American men just kicked it and it moved, then went back into place.
  12. eweatherby
    12. Posted by eweatherby Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    how cool i get to watch live coverage on tape delay.i get to go to your website to see pictures i get to read text in a blog yippie I get a 4 hour block of time to find out when the next single event i get no video on you tube.......no where do you post the exact time for the last michael phelps swim you post archived videos of journalist doing interviews and commentary now thats exciting you make me dig through your site to get single bits of information on the one thing i am looking for.code people must be paid on a per click basis the nice thing is i have a friend in sydney that has a sling box so i get to see it live on my laptop...get to take my laptop to the sports bar...and have everyone watch...good for free beer and you say that america has no offical language?.are you sure your parent company isn't nbc?
  13. A Yahoo! User
    13. Posted by A Yahoo! User Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:31 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    E W : It's right there, top of this page under "Schedule"....scroll down to the bottom, see "Swimming". The re;ay is on at 10pm. Try this link: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/schedule/television
  14. Adrian
    14. Posted by Adrian Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Has anybody noticed the gold/bronzish drink that the athletes and their coaches are drinking? Is that Powerade, Gatorade, or something? If so where can I get it because it looks freaking cool!
  15. Indira S
    15. Posted by Indira S Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Why is 1500m runner Bernard Lagat allowed to compete for the US after having already competed for another country in 2004? I thought that was not allowed.
  16. goethe3
    16. Posted by goethe3 Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:11 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I have an Olympic mystery I would like solved:
    Why does the USA baseball team wear a reversed American flag patch on their right sleeve?
  17. Joshua
    17. Posted by Joshua Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    From rules on displaying the flag -
    "To wear our country's flag properly, the field of stars is worn closest to your heart. Further, when worn on the sleeve of a military uniform, the flag should appear to be advancing and not retreating. Thus, if your patch is to be worn on your LEFT sleeve, use a left flag (normal). For patches worn on your RIGHT sleeve, use a "right" or "reversed field" flag."
  18. Ldt66
    18. Posted by Ldt66 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    So, has anyone checked out the beach volleyball cheerleader pictures/video on N.B.C. Olympic site ? Hmmmm , not sure what to think ... Big city in Thailand or what old Laker girls do when they can't be Laker girls anymore . ( MEOUCH ! )
  19. VB
    19. Posted by VB Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    What are the swimmers listening to on their ipods before a race?
  20. Dan B
    20. Posted by Dan B Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:00 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    i am watching the womens marathon run right now and i noticed that they are all very skinny compared to the sprinters that look more buff. I their an advantage to being sooooo skinny when running a marathon.
  21. e4nf3
    21. Posted by e4nf3 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Does anyone know if the judges, referees, and officials from each respective country walk in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony? Are officials required to provide their own transportaion and/or lodging to Beijing or does the US Olympic Committee pick up the costs of this?
  22. PKnNK
    22. Posted by PKnNK Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:21 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Is it just me or is NBC blurring the belly buttons of the women in the marathon? I am watching it on a high def tv and I can't believe that these women don't have more definitioin in their abs and I can't make out belly buttons.
  23. me21
    23. Posted by me21 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:15 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    so i saw an interview with ryan lochte the swimmer, and if u remember they were saying he had the "intestinal problems" during the 4x200 free relay...anyway he said it was because he brushed his teeth with the beijing water....he said when he stopped using that water, the stomach problems went away... so there you go, gross water
  24. Ldt66
    24. Posted by Ldt66 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    China has a potable water issue check out books related to travel in China ... Were our athletes not informed of this little issue ?
  25. Crystalized
    25. Posted by Crystalized Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Maybe the German team warmed up first or something, so the bottle they put out was the once that stayed? It would make sense that they can't have like 10 different honeys out there.
    Joshua, I know someone answered, but I will also add that the peloton in crew where the coaches, etc. are riding, some of them are riding with one had because they have a stroke watch in the other. The NBC commentator at one point noted that there have been lengendary crashes because since they are bunched up so much if one goes down, a lot of others do too.

Fourth-Place Medal

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

The Vancouver Bloggers

Fourth-Place Medal is edited by the contributors linked below. Please send them tips and such.

Contributors:
Chris Chase, Maggie Hendricks,

Y! Sports Blogs

Yahoo! Sports Blog Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)

YAHOO! SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

Olympic, Olympiad, the Olympic rings, Faster Higher Stronger, Citius Altius Fortius, Beijing 2008 and related marks are owned by the International Olympics Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or their related entities. This site and this service are neither endorsed by nor affiliated with any of these entities.

- Site Map