'Superstitious' athletes wearing gold at Olympics

Athletes competing at the Olympics are using gold jewellery as good luck charms, a source has claimed.

The Guardian has today published an article stating "a common sight on the blocks is sprinters kissing their gold chain necklaces for luck before exploding into action".

Several competitors are mentioned as being superstitious, with Zhang Ning, Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh named as among those hoping to increase their chance of a gold medal with gold jewellery.

But, not all athletes are wearing the accessories for luck, with US badminton player Howard Bach claiming he wears his gold earring because he wanta to "look good out here because I'm going to be on camera", the newspaper reveals.

Meanwhile, a list published by CBC.ca has ranked the top ten superstitious sportspeople.

Among those included is former baseball star Turk Wendell, who ate four sticks of liquorice during each match before brushing his teeth between innings, the website states.