Outside posted this article about the failure of science to find genetic markers for elite athletes. I am sure the scientists here on ST can pick apart some aspects of the study but one thing that I am curious about is the part where they find many individuals with higher markers of speed-power than the elite athletes from the "control" group, which I take to mean as average/sedentary folk. Whether they even surely know which genetic markers to "score" is suspect but maybe they do.
I've always believed that when we have athletes like wellington, ryf or alistair that they are part of the group of outliers that take to the right sports but that there are still thousands more out there that could be even better than them that just have never taken to the right sport, or any sport at all. So that leads me to rarely be skeptical of outstanding performances (a bit naive and optimistic, perhaps) rather than blame PEDs. Could there be a chance that we are seeing through this study just how many people out there are missing their chances at olympic gold because they just never found the right sport?
I will say though, I would be happier if this were true and there is no way genetic testing can ever find talent as that would cause so many problems in various societies.
808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
I've always believed that when we have athletes like wellington, ryf or alistair that they are part of the group of outliers that take to the right sports but that there are still thousands more out there that could be even better than them that just have never taken to the right sport, or any sport at all. So that leads me to rarely be skeptical of outstanding performances (a bit naive and optimistic, perhaps) rather than blame PEDs. Could there be a chance that we are seeing through this study just how many people out there are missing their chances at olympic gold because they just never found the right sport?
I will say though, I would be happier if this were true and there is no way genetic testing can ever find talent as that would cause so many problems in various societies.
808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo