If you’ve been watching the Rio Olympic swimming events, chances are you have some questions that you may be too afraid to ask. That’s why we’ve dug up the answers to some of your top swimming questions:

如果你一直在关注里约奥运会的游泳赛事，你可能会产生些好奇又不好意思问的问题。为此，我们会为大家在下文专门解答最引人不解的游泳问题。

1. Why do Olympic divers¹ use small towels?

为什么奥运会跳水运动员用小浴巾？

Olympic gold medalist Laura Wilkinson explains that the name of these little towels are called shammys. The shammy, made out of rayon or poly-vinyl, can hold a lot of water and dry quickly, the former US diver reveals.

前美国跳水运动员、奥运金牌得主劳拉·威尔金森表示，这些“小方巾”名为麂皮革。这种由人造纤维丝或聚乙烯醇树脂制成的麂皮革可以快速吸干运动员身上的大量水分。

Divers use shammys in between dives to dry off. Shammys come in handy in between dives because it helps keep your hands and legs dry, and prevents the diver from losing grip when competing.

运动员在每次跳水间隔都会用麂皮革吸干身上的水分。这种用于休息间隔的麂皮革可以确保运动员手脚干燥，还能避免他们在比赛时失去控制。

“It becomes a habit that you do before every dive. It’s kind of like our safety blanket,” Wilkinson says.

“我们习惯于在每次跳水前都擦干手脚。麂皮革有点像跳水运动员的安全毯。”威尔金森表示。

2. Why do Olympic divers get into the hot tub after competing?

为什么奥运跳水选手在比赛后都要用热水淋浴？

During the summer 2012 Olympics, The Washington Post’s Jennifer LaRue Huget asked former diver and sports psychology² professor David Feigley why some Olympic divers dip in the hot tub after diving. It’s simply because the water in the diving pool is chilly³ (which divers don’t like) and the hot tub allows them to warm up, relax and focus, he explains.

2012年夏季奥运会期间，《华盛顿邮报》的记者詹妮弗·拉吕·休格特曾就这个问题采访运动心理学教授、前跳水运动员大卫·费格利， 他表示运动员在跳水后进行热水淋浴仅仅是因为跳水池里的水很冷（这让他们感到不适），而热水澡既能让他们暖和，又能让他们放松，将注意力集中到下场比赛。

3. Why are there lifeguards at Olympic pools?

为什么奥运会泳池旁会有救生员？

You may think there is zero chance of Olympic swimmers needing lifeguards. But it’s necessary, according to a New York Times interview with Danielle Martelote, the lifeguard supervisor⁴ at the Olympic Aquatics⁵ Stadium. She mentions potential situations they would be needed in, such as if swimmers have debilitating⁶ cramps⁷, heart attacks and head-crunching collisions into the wall.

你或许会认为奥运水上运动员需要救生员的几率为零。但救生员在赛场上仍必不可少，《纽约时报》曾就此对话奥林匹克游泳馆救生员主管丹妮尔·马特洛特。她解释道，即便是专业的运动员也会有严重抽筋、心脏病突发、以及头部撞墙的危险。

Additionally, a Brazilian law requires lifeguards to be on-site at any swimming pool larger than 20 feet by 20 feet.

此外，巴西有专门的立法规定，尺寸大于20英尺乘20英尺的游泳池都必须配备救生员。

“It’s a one-in-a-million type of event, but we’re prepared,” Anderson Fertes, one of the lifeguards, told The New York Times.

“虽然这种事发生的概率极小，我们还是为此做好了充分的准备。”救生员安德森·费尔特斯告诉《纽约时报》的记者。

4. What are the red circles on swimmers’ bodies?

游泳运动员身体上的深红圆形印记是什么？

According to USA Today, the suction of the cups, sometimes heated, is said to enhance blood flow. Whatever the effect, it seemed to work for the heavily decorated swimming god.

今日美国》报道，拔火罐可借助热力加速人体血液循环。不管它的效果如何，身带这种“纹身”似乎能得到游泳之神的庇护。

5. Why do Olympic swimmers splash water on themselves before they swim?

为什么奥运选手在游泳前要在自己身上扑水花？

You may have noticed that some Olympic divers splash water onto themselves before competing. American swimmer Breeja Larson tweeted “Your mouth feels parched⁸ before races a lot of the time. That’s why we splash,” according a New York Times article published during the London 2012 Olympics. Splashing water can also help swimmers acclimatize to the cold water.

你可能也注意到了有些跳水运动员会在比赛前往自己脸上洒水。《纽约时报》在2012年伦敦奥运会期间报道过，美国游泳运动员布里亚·拉尔森曾发推文解释称“大多数比赛前我们都会觉得很干，这就是为什么我们会往身上洒水，”往身上洒水还能够让运动员提前适应赛场的寒冷水温。

6. Why do swimmers wear two caps?

为什么游泳运动员要戴两层泳帽？

The first reason is that the two caps ensure your goggles⁹ will stay secure. The second reason isn’t as obvious. According to Salo, “the outer silicone cap better maintains the shape and does not wrinkle as much, thereby¹⁰ causing less drag.” The inner cap is generally latex.

第一层原因是两层泳帽能够帮助运动员固定泳镜。第二层原因就不是那么明显了，萨洛表示，“外层的硅胶泳帽一般不会起皱，能够更好地保持表面平滑度，减少在水中的阻力。”内层的泳帽一般都是乳胶材质。