Athlete

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Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Summer Olympics Jim Thorpe, 1912 Summer Olympics.jpg
Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Summer Olympics

An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including track and field and marathon runners but excluding e.g. swimmers, footballers or basketball players. However in other contexts (mainly in the United States) it is used to refer to all athletics (physical culture) participants of any sport. For the latter definition, the word sportsperson or its gendered sportsman or sportswoman are also used. A third definition is also sometimes used meaning anyone who is physically fit regardless of whether or not they compete in a sport. [1] [2]

Contents

Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. [3] Most professional athletes have particularly well-developed physiques obtained by extensive physical training and strict exercise, accompanied by a strict dietary regimen.

Definitions

Runners, ceramics, S. IV a.C. Three runners BM GR 1856.10-1.1.jpg
Runners, ceramics, S. IV a.C.
Athletes taking part in a race on a snowy park in the U.S. Armedforces crosscountry coppingerandballas.jpg
Athletes taking part in a race on a snowy park in the U.S.

The word "athlete" is a romanization of the Greek : άθλητὴς, athlētēs, meaning one who participates in a contest; from ἄθλος, áthlos or ἄθλον, áthlon, meaning a contest or feat. The primary definition of "sportsman" according to Webster's Third Unabridged Dictionary (1960) is, "a person who is active in sports: as (a): one who engages in the sports of the field and especially in hunting or fishing."

Physiology

Athletes involved in isotonic exercises have an increased mean left ventricular end-diastolic volume and are less likely to be depressed. [4] [5] Due to their strenuous physical activities, athletes are far more likely than the general population to visit massage salons and pay for services from massotherapists and masseurs. [6] Athletes whose sport requires endurance more than strength usually have a lower calorie intake than other athletes. [7]

"Athlete Genes"

While athleticism is largely influenced by environmental factors, it has been theorized that genetic expression may play a moderate role in an athlete's abilities as well. [8] Exploring this claim, meta-analyses of studies regarding two specific genes, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and ACTN3, concluded that certain variations in expression may have a moderate effect on athletic performance; the former being more prevalent in endurance-based events and the latter in power-based events. [9] [10] Further studies on these and other genetic polymorphisms linked to athletic performance were recommended.

Titles

"All-round athlete"

An "all-round athlete" is a person who competes in multiple sports at a professional level. Examples of people who played more than one sport professionally include Jim Thorpe, Lionel Conacher, Deion Sanders, Danny Ainge, Babe Zaharias and Erin Phillips. Others include Ricky Williams, Bo Jackson and Damon Allen, each of whom was drafted both by Major League Baseball and by professional gridiron football leagues such as the NFL and the CFL. Another female example is Heather Moyse, a multiple Winter Olympic gold medalist in bobsled and member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame who also represented Canada internationally in track cycling and competed at university level in basketball and track and field. Japanese athletes such as Kazushi Sakuraba, Kazuyuki Fujita, Masakatsu Funaki and Naoya Ogawa have successfully performed in professional wrestling and competed in mixed martial arts.

"World's Greatest Athlete"

The title of "World's Greatest Athlete" traditionally belongs to the world's top competitor in the decathlon (males) and heptathlon (females) in track and field. The decathlon consists of 10 events: 100 meters, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meters, 110 m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500 m. The heptathlon consists of seven events: the 100 m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin, and 800 meters. These competitions require an athlete to possess the whole spectrum of athletic ability in order to be successful, including speed, strength, coordination, jumping ability, and endurance.

Although the title "World's Greatest Athlete" seems a natural fit for these two events, its traditional association with the decathlon/heptathlon officially began with Jim Thorpe. During the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, Thorpe won the gold medal in the Decathlon (among others). Thorpe competed professionally in baseball, American football, and basketball; and competed collegiately in track and field, baseball, lacrosse, and did ballroom dancing. King Gustav V of Sweden, while awarding Thorpe the decathlon gold, said: "Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world." [11] This title has been associated with the decathlon event ever since.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport of athletics</span> Group of sporting events

Athletics is a group of sporting events that involves competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross-country running, and racewalking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decathlon</span> Athletic track and field competition consisting of ten events

The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of 10 track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek δέκα and ἄθλος. Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not by the position achieved. The decathlon is contested mainly by male athletes, while female athletes typically compete in the heptathlon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Thorpe</span> American athlete (1887–1953)

James Francis Thorpe was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, he won two Olympic gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He also played football, professional baseball, and basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Track and field</span> Sport involving running, jumping, and throwing disciplines

Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events. Track and field is categorized under the umbrella sport of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running and racewalking. In British English the term "Athletics" is synonymous with American "Track and Field" and includes all jumping events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentathlon</span> Combined sporting event of five contests

A pentathlon is a contest featuring five events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente (five) and -athlon (competition). The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Five events were contested over one day for the Ancient Olympic pentathlon, starting with the long jump, javelin throwing, and discus throwing, followed by the stadion and wrestling. Pentathletes were considered to be among the most skilled athletes, and their training was often part of military service—each of the five events in the pentathlon was thought to be useful in war or battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's pentathlon</span> Combined track and field competition for women

The pentathlon or women's pentathlon is a combined track and field event in which each woman competes in five separate events over one day. The distance or time for each event is converted to points via scoring tables, with the overall ranking determined by total points. Since 1949 the events have been sprint hurdling, high jump, shot put, long jump, and a flat race. The sprint hurdles distance was 80 m outdoors until 1969 and thereafter 100 m; in indoor pentathlon the distance is 60 m. The flat race was 200 m until 1976 and thereafter 800 m. In elite-level outdoor competition, the pentathlon was superseded in 1981 by the heptathlon, which has seven events, with both 200 m and 800 m, as well as the javelin throw. Pentathlon is still contested at school and masters level and indoors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the Summer Olympics</span> Competitive sport at every Summer Olympics

Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The athletics program traces its earliest roots to events used in the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern program includes track and field events, road running events, and race walking events. Cross country running was also on the program in earlier editions but it was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Clay</span> American decathlete

Bryan Ezra Tsumoru Clay is an American decathlete who was the 2008 Summer Olympic champion for the decathlon and was also World champion in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletic heart syndrome</span> Medical condition

Athletic heart syndrome (AHS) is a non-pathological condition commonly seen in sports medicine in which the human heart is enlarged, and the resting heart rate is lower than normal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtis Beach</span> American decathlete

Curtis Beach is an American decathlete who competed for Duke University. He formerly held high school records in the decathlon using three different implement standards: high school, international junior and international senior. His performances in the high jump, 400 meters, and 1,500 meters were superior to those of U.S. Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay in the 2008 Olympic Games. At the 2011 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship, as a freshman, Beach finished second overall in the decathlon. His 3:59.13 finish in the 1500 meter shattered the previous collegiate record and is the second-fastest 1500 meter in world history for a decathlon, just missing Robert Baker's mark from 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashton Eaton</span> American decathlete

Ashton James Eaton is a retired American decathlete and two-time Olympic champion, who holds the world record in the indoor heptathlon event. Eaton was the second decathlete to break the 9,000-point barrier in the decathlon, with 9,039 points, a score he bettered on August 29, 2015, when he beat his own world record with a score of 9,045 points, and remains the only person to exceed 9000 points twice. His world record was broken by Frenchman Kevin Mayer on September 16, 2018, with a total of 9,126 points, who became the third man to pass the 9,000-point barrier.

Athletics is a term encompassing the human competitive sports and games requiring physical skill, and the systems of training that prepare athletes for competitive performance. Athletic sports or contests are competitions which are primarily based on human physical competition, demanding the qualities of stamina, fitness, and skill. Athletic sports form the bulk of popular sporting activities, with other major forms including motorsports, precision sports, extreme sports and animal sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sten Ekberg</span> Swedish athletics competitor

Sten Anders Ekberg is a former decathlon athlete who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics for Sweden and was a Swedish decathlete National Record holder. Sten Ekberg won the Swedish Championship in both decathlon and heptathlon. Ekberg currently resides in the United States where he works as a chiropractor at his office Wellness For Life in Cumming, Georgia.

Christopher "Chris" James Randolph is an American Decathlete. Randolph is 6 ft 2 in and 190 lbs, with a high score in the decathlon of 8066 points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweden at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics</span> Sporting event delegation

Sweden competed at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Russia, from 10–18 August 2013. Isabellah Andersson (marathon), Ebba Jungmark and Jessica Samuelsson (heptathlon) were all selected to compete, but withdrew due to different causes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunnar Nixon</span> American decathlete

James Gunnar Nixon is an American track and field athlete who competes in the decathlon. He broke the American high school record for the event in 2011, and was the World Junior Champion in 2012. He won his first national title indoors in 2013, and was runner-up at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. His personal record for the decathlon is 8313 points at the 2013 IAAF World Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kai Kazmirek</span> German decathlete

Kai Kazmirek is a German track and field athlete who competes in the decathlon. He holds a personal best of 8580 points for the event achieved in Rio 2016, as well as an indoor heptathlon best of 6173 points. He is a member of LG Rhein-Wied athletics club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combined events at the Olympics</span> Athletics events at the Olympics with scores based on multiple events

Combined events at the Summer Olympics have been contested in several formats at the multi-sport event. There are two combined track and field events in the current Olympic athletics programme: a men's decathlon and a women's heptathlon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Ziemek</span> American decathlete

Zach Ziemek is an American athlete competing in the decathlon. Ziemek won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene with a personal best score of 8676. In 2021 he finished 6th at the Tokyo Olympics. He represented his country at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, where he finished 15th. Ziemek finished 7th in the decathlon at the 2016 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USATF U20 Outdoor Championships</span>

The USATF U20 Outdoor Championships, formerly known as the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships, is an annual outdoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field (USATF) which serves as the national championship for American athletes aged under 20. The competition is also used for American national team selection for the IAAF World U20 Championships in even-numbered years and the Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in odd-numbered years.

References

  1. "athlete in British English". Collins Dictionary . 1. a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance 2. a person who has a natural aptitude for physical activities 3. (mainly British) a competitor in track and field events
  2. "Definition of athlete noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries .
  3. Collins English Dictionary, Millennium Ed. - 'athlete'
  4. MORGANROTH, JOEL, et al. "Comparative left ventricular dimensions in trained athletes." Annals of Internal Medicine 82.4 (1975): 521–524.
  5. Oler, Michael J., et al. "Depression, suicidal ideation, and substance use among adolescents. Are athletes at less risk?." Archives of Family Medicine 3.9 (1994): 781–785.
  6. Jönhagen, Sven, et al. "Sports massage after eccentric exercise Archived 2020-09-28 at the Wayback Machine ." The American Journal of Sports Medicine 32.6 (2004): 1499–1503.
  7. Thompson, Paul D.; Cullinane, Eileen M.; Eshleman, Ruth; Sady, Stanley P.; Herbert, Peter N. (1984). "The effects of caloric restriction or exercise cessation on the serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations of endurance athletes". Metabolism. 33 (10): 943–950. doi:10.1016/0026-0495(84)90249-X. PMID   6482736.
  8. "Sportsbay alternatives".
  9. Puthucheary, Zudin; Skipworth, James R. A.; Rawal, Jai; Loosemore, Mike; Van Someren, Ken; Montgomery, Hugh E. (2011-06-01). "The ACE Gene and Human Performance". Sports Medicine. 41 (6): 433–448. doi:10.2165/11588720-000000000-00000. ISSN   1179-2035. PMID   21615186. S2CID   42531424.
  10. Ma, Fang; Yang, Yu; Li, Xiangwei; Zhou, Feng; Gao, Cong; Li, Mufei; Gao, Lei (2013-01-24). "The Association of Sport Performance with ACE and ACTN3 Genetic Polymorphisms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". PLOS ONE. 8 (1): e54685. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...854685M. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054685 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   3554644 . PMID   23358679.
  11. Flatter, Ron. "Thorpe preceded Deion, Bo". espn.com. Retrieved 11 December 2020.