GEORGIA, USA — Athletes are competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, with some already taking home medals. It often takes years of training to perfect their skills in their sport of choice.
Some sports sound simple, such as throwing a ball into a basket or hitting it with a racket, but they're harder than they look.
With their intense training comes lessons about themselves, driving a deeper connection to their sport.
From track and field to shooting, weightlifting and more, Georgia athletes are showing up in a variety of sports hoping to take home the gold.
As she enjoys the sights and scenes of Paris, 11Alive's Cheryl Preheim tested her skills ahead of the Games by trying Olympic-level sports along with Aisha Howard, Crash Clark and Chesley McNeil. Here's how they showed how "It's harder than it looks."
Fencing
Olympic-level fencing requires just as much brain power as athletic ability.
"Not only do you have to have the physicality for it, but you have to have the brains for it. You are always thinking; you are never bored."
Fencing is all about acting and reacting. Olympic fencers say the key to fencing is your feet, not the sword or the foil.
11Alive's Chesley McNeil, Aisha Howard, Crash Clark and Cheryl Preheim all attempted to see if it was harder than it looked.
Hammer throw
It may seem easy to throw a hammer, but it's a complex feat in physics.
For Olympians, it takes hundreds of thousands of throws to get it successful at speeds as fast as a car.
"It takes a couple of years just to be bad at throwing the hammer," IDK WHO SAID THIS, BUT SOMEONE DID.
Most Olympic sports start with precise footwork and placement.
Olympian Daniel Haugh, who is heading to the Summer Games, said an inch in foot placement changes everything.
Take a look at Cheryl Preheim's throw. Is she Olympic-ready?
Rhythmic Gymnastics
It's expression, artistry and athleticism to music. A unique combination of dance and gymnastics.
Elena Shinohara, who competed with the U.S. National team and trained at Georgia Tech, said it starts with flexibility and coordination.
She added that athletes are judged based on artistry, difficulty, and execution. Athletes can even lose points for any items they drop.
Speed Canoeing/Kayaking
Balance, power and speed are the keys to an Olympic finish for speed canoeing/kayaking.
"It feels like you are kind of guiding or levitating. It's just really hard to sit in the boat and balance it," said Olympic hopeful Walter Peck.
"I don't think people know how tiny the boats are," said Defending Olympic Champion Nevin Harrison.
There are pedals inside the boat to help steer. The motion of the canoe comes from a combination of hips and arms to help stabilize and balance the boat.
11Alive's Cheryl Preheim tried the sport in two different-sized boats.
Speed Climbing
The goal is to sprint straight up a 50-foot climbing wall.
Speed climbers follow a left-right rhythm with their hands and feet. When competing, they follow a well-practiced path.
Your legs are supposed to be the driving force since you are sprinting up. Your arms are just steering you up the route.
According to Olympian Emma Hunt, getting up the climbing wall smoothly will help with your speed.
Once you get up, you must hit a touchpad that will stop the clock and track your time and speed.
Table Tennis
Yes, there's an actual difference between table tennis and ping pong.
Ping pong is a hobby, but table tennis is a sport.
Olympic table tennis requires intense focus, strategy and speed.
Two-time Olympian Tom Thang, who grew up in metro Atlanta, said the sport is much more intense than most people think.
In Olympic matches, the ball can travel at least 60 miles per hour with intricate spins. Players only have a fraction of a second and have to commit to muscle memory to make an adjustment and plan a counterattack.
Atlanta Georgia Table Tennis Association invited 11Alive's Cheryl Preheim and Aisha Howard to try the sport.
11Alive is Atlanta's hub for the 2024 Paris Olympics this Summer. Know what's ahead with previews and keep up with the highlights on our website throughout the entire competition. To see all of our coverage, head here: 11alive.com/olympics.
2024 Paris Olympics | 11Alive's Harder Than It Looks series
