Still fast, 25 years later: The science behind Georgia Tech’s Olympic pool

Among the venues that have lasted from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is the swimming pool at Georgia Tech. And after 25 years, it remains state of the art. That’s because of its technology that still provides a competitive edge for those who swim there.

When most people watch Olympic swimmers, they mainly focus on the athletes. Georgia Tech Professor Jud Ready and his students, however, look at how the pool is designed.

“The course that I teach material science and engineering of sports,” Ready said.  “So we cover helmets and shoes and the playing surfaces.”