Transitional Nurturing Determines Performance in Elite Sprinting

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine what factors account for the selection of athletes to represent Jamaica in track and field events at the Olympics and World Championships. Methods and materials: One hundred and twenty athletes who represented Jamaica between 1948-2015 in track and field events were interviewed. The athletes were classified based on athletic disciplines: Sprinter (S:100– 400m, n =80), jumper, hurdler and thrower (JHT, n = 23), and middle distance runners (Mdr: 800–3000m, n =17). The athletes were further sub-divided into athletes who represented Jamaica at the Olympic Games and the World Championships (highest level games) and those who represented Jamaica at the Pan-American, Commonwealth, World Junior Championships, World Youth Olympics, World University Games and the CARIFTA Games (other games). Each athlete was administered a questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed based on models used in studies elite athletes from Ethiopia Kenya and Jamaica who were competitors in international games. The questions elicited the following information: age, gender, event/s participated in, place of birth of athlete and parents, secondary/high school athlete attended and yes or no for living arrangements with adult/s) other than family members during athletic development in high schoool. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences, Version 21. Statistical significance was set at P <0.05%. Cross tabulations for statistical associations and binary regression for influence of independent variables on a dependent variable were utilized in the analysis. Results: The majority of athletes, 83.3% who represented Jamaica in track and field and their parents, 79.2% were born in Jamaica. There were slightly more females than males, 50.8 % versus 48.2%. Approximately 91.7% of athletes attended high school in Jamaica defined as having a strong history of participation in athletics and 85% lived with adults other than family members during athletic development at the high school level. More than 66% of athletes participated in the 100-400m sprints but only 26.6 % of participants were selected to represent Jamaica in the highest level games. Secondary/high school the athlete attended influenced selection to represent Jamaica in the highest level games and in the sprint events. Conclusion: Selection to represent Jamaica in the sprint events at the Olympics and World Championships is influenced by the secondary school the athlete attended.