ACADEMICS have launched a study to discover how opponents are judged in competition as the nation prepares for the Olympics.

Sports psychologists at Staffordshire University have helped launch a new online experiment to examine how competitors judge their opponents.

And the university has connections with this year's event with graduates Kate Dennison and Andrew Triggs-Hodge both securing a place with Team GB in pole vault and rowing respectively.

Dr Marc Jones, a reader in sport psychology, said: "Psychology will have a huge impact at London 2012. For GB competitors the challenge of a home Olympics is even greater. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and expectation of success will heighten for UK athletes.

"But, many athletes have claimed the period before a sporting encounter can be important in determining the result because it is a time when we may seek to size up our opponents."

The online experiment has been funded by the British Psychological Society,

It is available from the society's website at www.bps.org.uk.