"Легкоатлетического вестника ИААФ" 4-2009 - Московский ...

Средние и длинные дистанции
rate, muscle fibre composition and enzyme activity,
running economy, fractional utilization of maximal
oxygen consumption, trainability and performance
in a 5000 metres competition. The second
study was on elite Kenyan and Danish runners.
The findings include comparisons of anthropometric
measures, maximal oxygen consumption,
blood lactate, muscle fibre composition and
enzyme activity, and running economy. The report
concludes with the original articles resulting from
the study that will be published in appropriate
publications.
Saunders, P.
Physiological differences that contribute to
East African dominance of distance running
Modern Athlete and Coach, 45, (2007), 2, pp. 34-36
There are a number of mechanisms that have been
proposed to account for the dominance of East
African runners. These include: 1. Exposure to altitude
all of their lives (as well as previous generations
who have lived and trained at altitude). 2.
Genetic pre-disposition to better distance running
performance. 3. Increased physiological capacity
due to running from an early age. 4. Psychological
advantages due to stereotyping. 5. Cultural factors.
The author discusses all these possibly performancedetermining
factors and arrives at the
following conclusion: It appears that there are
genetic and physiological factors that pre-dispose
athletes from East Africa to perform better at distance
events than athletes from other countries.
However, there have been non-East African runners
who have consistently been competitive
against East African runners suggesting that other
factors, such as economic benefits and a perceived
psychological advantage, may also play a
role in the success of East Africans.
Scott, R. A.; Pitsiladis, Y. P.
Genotypes and distance running
Sports Medicine, 37, (2007), 4/5, pp. 424-427
A look at the medal podium in almost any international
sporting competition reveals that some athletes
and certain countries enjoy regular success
in particular events. While environmental influences
such as training and diet are important, it is
likely that there is also some genetic component
to elite athletic performance. One of the most
compelling examples of athletic domination is that
of East African runners in international distance
running competition. This phenomenon has led to
the suggestion that East Africans possess some
inherent genetic advantage predisposing them to
superior athletic performances. The concurrent
success of athletes of West African ancestry in
sprint events also appears to have augmented
this belief given their similar skin colour. A growing
body of evidence suggests that genetic variation
does influence athletic performance, yet despite
the speculation that African athletes have a genetic
advantage for physical performance, there is no
genetic evidence to suggest that this is the case.
The only available genetic studies of elite African
athletes do not find that these athletes possess a
unique genetic makeup; rather, they serve to highlight
the high degree of genetic diversity in East
African populations and also among elite East
African athletes.
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