From December 3 to 5, 2024, Rennes hosted Sport Physics 2024, a high-level international scientific conference dedicated to advances in scientific research in the fields of physics and biomechanics related to high-performance sports.
This event, held every four years after the Summer Olympic Games, brings together experts and researchers to discuss the latest findings in the field.
The conference, organized by IRISA in partnership with the Inria center at Rennes University ENS Rennes, highlighted the French Sciences2024 network as well as the Priority Research Programs (PPR) "Ultra-High-Performance Sports" (STHP) that supported the 2024 Games through various partnerships. Research topics originated from practical applications in collaboration with sports federations, and some of the studies presented during the conference were completed and finalized during this Olympic year, with the Games held in France from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Mixing field practices and research
The primary objective of Sport Physics 2024 is to combine physics, mechanics, biomechanics, mathematics, computer science, data science, and physiology to provide practical solutions to the challenges identified by coaches, medical teams, and athletes. This transdisciplinary approach addresses the need for collaboration between science and sports to enhance performance and solve issues faced by athletes on the field.
Since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the projects initiated in 2020 to prepare for them, the disciplines involved have continued to expand.
"[For this edition], we left plenty of room to Olympic sports, but also to lesser-known sports to bring diversity of perspectives and viewpoints," explains Charles Pontonnier, Associate Professor at the École Normale Supérieure de Rennes and one of the scientific organizers of the Rennes edition alongside Jacques Prioux and Christophe Clanet.
The organizers were delighted to host leading speakers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, including:
- Tom Van Wouwe, a biomechanics specialist, who presented his work on musculoskeletal simulation of rowing on an ergometer.
- Laurent Schmitt, a researcher and head of the Performance-Expertise-Research department at the National Nordic Ski Center, who explored exercise physiology, particularly heart rate variability and its links to athletic performance.
- Vittoria Bussi, a high-level cyclist, who shared her unique perspective as both a mathematician and an athlete in the field of cycling.
- Nicolas Pouleau, a national-level triathlete, who highlighted the importance of the coach-athlete relationship, using his collaboration with Paralympic triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant as an example.
- Jozina De Graaf, a neuroscientist, professor at Aix-Marseille University, and Vice Dean of Research at the Faculty of Sports Sciences, who presented her research on phantom sensations in amputated limbs, offering a different perspective on parasport athletes.
A networking opportunity for doctoral students
As in many scientific conferences, the opportunity to engage in discussions is essential for doctoral students at Sport Physics. Numerous PhD candidates from various laboratories attended to present their research, which was at varying stages of development.
On this subject, Charles Pontonnier emphasized the importance of such gatherings at the start of a scientific career:
"Seventy participants make for an ideal size for students, allowing them to practice presenting their research and build a scientific network."
On this occasion, we met Lorette Quéguiner, a doctoral student at IETR (Institute of Electronics and Digital Technologies). In this podcast in french, she introduces her thesis, its applications, and the benefits she gained from participating in the conference.
A positive outcome and future perspectives
Charles Pontonnier underlined the value and satisfaction of this moment of exchange and connection. This edition was a true success.
"The discussions were rich, and we saw the breakdown of disciplinary silos, giving way to sport-specific approaches driven by issues raised by federations. The Olympics in France are over, and this conference provided an opportunity to take scientific stock of the topics addressed. Some results were also presented to the general public at the France Club during the Games. This conference is also an opportunity for everyone to look ahead and reflect on the future scientific challenges we aim to tackle in the coming years."
The Sport Physics 2024 edition demonstrated the importance of building bridges between scientific disciplines and sports practices. It will result in the publication of a book, scheduled for release in September 2025.
Researchers are invited to submit written versions of their presentations to honor this period marked by a strengthened convergence of science and sport, particularly evident during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Interviewer: Hello, Lorette.
Lorette Quéguiner: Hello, I’m in the third year of my PhD at IETR, a building very close to Inria. My thesis is titled “Wireless Communication and Powering of On-Body Biometric Devices.” What I presented at the conference was about individual and collective monitoring of athletes using connected insoles.
Interviewer: Can you give us concrete examples of sports where this can be used?
LQ: It can be used individually, for example, to monitor a tennis serve or by soccer goalkeepers, and also collectively with a handball team or a soccer team. The insoles are connected to each other.
Interviewer: Since you're in your third year, does that mean you still have some research to do, or is your thesis already wrapped up?
LQ: There’s still some work to be done. Right now, we’re working on the "antenna design" part. In fact, the insoles contain a lot of electronics, but we’re really focused on this specific part because it’s somewhat neglected in current research, at least for this application. So, this year we’re designing the antenna, prototyping it, and then testing it in real-world conditions.
Interviewer: Was this conference useful for you? Was it different from other conferences you’ve attended during your PhD?
LQ: Yes, absolutely, because this conference is focused on sports and includes highly diverse scientific fields. It was also an exercise for me to simplify my work because people don’t necessarily know much about antennas or understand the importance they have in the development of electronic tools. So yes, it was very useful for presenting my work.