What about basketball players crossing themselves before every foul shot, swimmers doing likewise as they stand on starting blocks, lugers before hurtling into the chute?
Seen in this light, our urge to give the full measure of our national devotion to the synchronized swimmers — and the shot-putters and even the heel-and-toe walkers and the beach-volleyball women in their bikinis — is logical and even admirable.
Photograph: Andrew Medichini/ AP 2.23pm BST Interesting shot of the swimmer with the rather lovely name, Missy Franklin of the USA as she competes in the women's 100m Backstroke Heats.
The erotic implications of the athlete's body beautiful arise in a shot of the swimmer, seen underwater, from behind, and another, which emphasizes Taris's near nudity in his tight swimsuit.
But a day later, the brilliant Japanese swimmer Kosuke Kitajima has the same shot at history – and has every chance of following up gold in the 100m breaststroke in Athens and Beijing with a third successive title in London.
I set some scenes at the Y.M.C.A. pool — shots of the young swimmer warming up before getting into the water.
"You simply have to take into account that swimmers and gymnasts have an easier shot at multiple medals because they have multiple events.
Back in 2008, for the official Beijing Summer Games tie-in, then published by Sega, shot-putter Reese Hoffa and swimmer Amanda Beard, both Americans, appeared on its cover, doing wonders for their public recognition across the world.
"I always think I have a shot," the 20-year-old swimmer said.
"You know I feel sorry for those swimmers who thought they had a better shot of winning a gold because Michael Phelps was retired," she said.
