Anathlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or moresports involvingphysical strength, speed, power, orendurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically tosport of athletics competitors, i.e. includingtrack and field andmarathon runners but excluding e.g.swimmers,footballers orbasketball players. However, in other contexts (mainly in theUnited States) it is used to refer to allathletics (physical culture) participants of any sport. For the latter definition, the wordsportsperson or the genderedsportsman orsportswoman are also used. A third definition is also sometimes used, meaning anyone who isphysically fit regardless of whether they compete in a sport.[1][2]
Athletes may beprofessionals oramateurs.[3] Most professional athletes have particularly well-developed physiques obtained by extensive physical training and strict exercise, accompanied by a strict dietary regimen.
Runners, ceramics, S. IV a.C.Athletes taking part in a race on a snowy park in the U.S.
The word "athlete" is aromanization of theGreek: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'sThird 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."
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 visitmassage 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]
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 andACTN3, 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.
Although the title "World's GreatestAthlete seems a natural fit for these two events, its traditional association with the decathlon/heptathlon officially began withJim Thorpe. During the 1912Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, Thorpe won the gold medal in theDecathlon (among others). Thorpe competed professionally inbaseball,American football, andbasketball; and competed collegiately intrack and field,baseball,lacrosse, and didballroom dancing. KingGustav V of Sweden, while awarding Thorpe the decathlon gold, said: "Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world."[13] This title has been associated with the decathlon event ever since.
^"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
^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.PMID6482736.
