M: Tonight, we have a very special guest. Mrs Anna Sanchez is a three-time Olympic champion and author of the new book To the Edge. Mrs Sanchez, thank you for joining us.
W: Thank you for having me.
M: Let's start with your book. What does the title To the Edge mean? What are you referring to?
W: The book is about how science and technology have helped push humans to the edge of their physical abilities. I argue that in the past 20 years we've had the best athletes the world has ever seen.
M: But is this a fair comparison? How do you know how, say, a football player from 50 years ago would compare to one today?
W: Well, you are right. That comparison would be perhaps impossible to make. But the point is more about our knowledge today of human biochemistry, nutrition and mechanics. I believe that while our bodies have not changed in thousands of years, what has changed is the scientific knowledge. This has allowed athletes to push the limits of what was previously thought possible.
M: That's interesting. Please tell us more about these perceived limits.
W: The world has seen sports records being broken that could only be broken with the aid of technology, whether this be the speed of a tennis serve or the fastest time in a 100-meter dash or 200-meter swimming race.
M: Is there any concern that technology is giving some athletes an unfair advantage over others?
W: That is an interesting question and one that has to be considered very carefully. Skis, for example, went from being made of wood to a metal alloy, which allows for better control and faster speed. There is no stopping technological progress. But, as I said, each situation should be considered carefully on a case-by-case basis.