Diving into the gene pool

As athletes rely more and more on technology, where does talent end and science begin.
Ever since the first Greek Olympics in 776BC, athletes have been pushing the boundaries of human physical potential on track and field. But now experts believe we have finally hit our limits and the human body can’t achieve more, and this is where science steps in.

I've explored the contribution of science to sport – with recent scientific developments including genetic testing to maximise training schedules, and shark-like swimming costumes to reduce drag in races. They’ve discussed in a line is drawn being between where talent stops and science begins.
Many experts, including those who trained the comedian David Walliams for his cross-Channel swim, believe that athletes, competing in track and field events in particular, have now reached the limit of natural human performance. In these sports, science will have the greatest contribution to future medal tables, where even a small enhancement in performance could make a big difference. Here are some of the scientific advances that may give sportsmen and women the edge.

WINNING GENESOne day scientists may be able to pick the winner of a race before it has even started, by looking at the competitors’ genetic make-up to see which one carries “performance genes”.
In recent years researchers have identified genes that confer athletic advantage, and some are now suggesting that genetic profiling for so called performance genes could be used to identify the athletes of the future. For instance, the ability to use oxygen efficiently is key to having the winning edge in all sports, as it keeps muscles going for longer. Some people carry a mutated version of a gene called EPOR, which results in an abnormally high number of red blood cells – the main oxygen transporters of the body. People with this mutated EPOR gene have more oxygen whizzing around their body, helping them to carry on working longer and harder than others. Researchers identified an entire Finnish family with this EPOR mutation, several of whom were championship endurance athletes, including the gold medal cross-country skier Eero Maentyranta.
It is likely that athletes able to break records in the future will be such physiological “outliers” – people who naturally possess extremes of normal body biology, which also happen to enhance performance. For instance, one helpful gene is called ACTN3. It comes in two variants, one of which makes muscles more suited to endurance events, and the other to sprint or power events. One American company has even started to offer people the chance to have their genes tested for performance-enhancing variants – at £50 a pop – to find out which sport they are genetically suited to.
So will we see genetic profiling by talent scouts? I’m dismissive as rediretcting athletic aptitude is incredibly difficult. There are too many genetic variations and environmental factors involved to make accurate predictions.

CHEMICAL ASSISTANCESome common enhancers, which might be called an appliance of science, are drugs such as anabolic steroids and EPO, the hormone that promotes red blood cell development. These are banned, although athletes tend always to be one step ahead of the regulators, using new undetectable drugs. The long-term effects of the use of such substances are unknown.
Some technologies, however, such as simulating the effect of training at altitude by placing an athlete in a pressure chamber, are not banned. This increases the number of red blood cells by making the body think it’s in a low oxygen environment, making it step up blood cell production. Nor is taking sodium bicarbonate before competition banned. This acts as a buffer in the blood, helping to prevent the build-up of lactic acid that causes burning muscle pain.

HIGH-TECH KITWe’ve already seen the impact that science can have on world records through advances in technology. In the 1990s, new materials science made it possible to use carbon fibers to build bicycles with characteristics that had never been seen before. An early example was Chris Boardman’s Lotus monocoque carbon frame, which he rode in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In the one-hour speed event, Boardman was able to travel 7km farther than the legendary Eddie Merckx had achieved 30 years earlier. But riding a standard A-frame bike, he managed only a paltry 10m more than Merckx.
Materials science makes a contribution to sport in many other ways, from shoes that let people bounce higher, to “go-faster” swimming costumes. Some cozzies, for instance, mimic the skin of a shark, making the swimmer more streamlined and reducing drag. High-tech equipment won’t make super-athletes out of mere mortals, but, it can make the difference between winning and losing for those at the peak of their game. “You need talent and preparation,” says Alan Currie, the psychiatrist for the UK Athletics team. “Self-motivation is integral to success, if you want to reach the top.”

Is your body built for sporting success?Have you got the perfect physique for sport? No matter what science can create to enhance our body’s performance, the basics have to be there, and this means having the right body shape for a sport.