system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 - When races are won by fractions of a second, why do so many athletes seem to wear jewellery - especially sprinters? Doesn't it just add weight and make them slower?
gpt
Okay let's take Usain Bolt. He weighs 97 kg (204 lbs) and an olympic gold medal weighs about 500 grams (1.1 lbs). He weighs 0.5% more with this added weight. While that MIGHT make a difference, no athlete would wear something that heavy.

More importantly than the physical aspect of this is the mental side. Sporting events are arguably just as mental as they are physical. If the athlete feels more comfortable with the jewelry they will probably do better.