Innovative clothing cools Olympic athletes in Bejing

The innovative comfort cooling clothing that DSM is developing for athletes at the Bejing Summer Olympics are lightweight and regulate body temperature in the hot weather.

DSM, innovative 'Partner in Sport' of the Dutch Olympic Committee/Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF), presents cooling products that the Dutch Olympic athletes will be using during next year's Summer Olympics. The innovative comfort cooling and after cooling products presented recently in the Amsterdam (Netherlands) Olympic stadium will help the athletes to regulate their body temperature in the hot weather conditions in China.

The heat and high humidity that are characteristic of Chinese summers have a large impact on the human body. Effectively cooling the body under such conditions can greatly enhance an athlete's ability to deliver a top-level performance and to recover quickly from this performance. As part of its Olympic Innovation Program, DSM is developing an all-round cooling concept that will be made available to the Dutch Olympic athletes in the run-up to the Olympic Games.

Comfort cooling and after cooling
In comfort cooling the emphasis is on efficiency and comfort; the athlete should be able to quickly cool his/her body during an event or between different parts of an event. The clothing items that DSM is developing for the athletes, a cooling vest and cooling trousers, hug the body, allow mobility, are lightweight and are easy to put on. "The most recent test, during the Hockey Champions Trophy that is currently in full swing in Malaysia, once again proved that in weather conditions very similar to those in Beijing the Dutch men's hockey team sets great store by active cooling," said exercise physiologist Gerard Rietjens of NOC*NSF.

In after cooling the focus is on rapidly cooling the body after an athletic performance; the body's core temperature will rapidly decrease by a maximum of 3 degrees. To achieve this, DSM, in close collaboration with InnosportNL, has developed a compressor technology that enables small plunge pools to be cooled without having to use ice. This innovation will enable athletes to recover more effectively from repeated exercise over a number of days.

Prototypes
During the previous Summer Games in Athens in 2004 the Dutch Olympic rowers already used special cooling products. In the run-up to Beijing 2008, DSM and NOC*NSF in close consultation with athletes and their coaches have looked at possibilities for improvement and have developed and tested various new prototypes. This has resulted in the "mobile" and fully modular comfort cooling system that was presented recently.

DSM and sport
Sport is about performing at a top level, day in, day out. About passion, ambition, wanting to be the best, about continuous improvement and teamwork. As such, sport embodies a number of DSM's core values. Just like sportspeople DSM is continuously pushing its limits: Unlimited.DSM. Innovation is one of the main spearheads of DSM's strategic course, and it is equally important in the world of sports: innovations in the fields of nutrition and materials can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Innovation is our Sport** is therefore an apt title for DSM's program in the field of sports.

DSM and the Dutch Olympic Committee/Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) have been 'Partners in Sport' since 2001. In the run-up to Beijing 2008, DSM has stepped up its efforts in the field of sports and innovation even further in the hope of making a major contribution to the success of the Dutch Olympic team during the 2008 Summer Games.

** Trademark of DSM, creating innovative products and services in life sciences and materials sciences, contributing to the quality of life. DSM's products and services are used globally in a wide range of markets and applications, supporting a healthier, more sustainable and enjoyable way of living. End markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrics & electronics, life protection and housing. .

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