# Chapter 16: Genetics in sport

Everyone who takes up a sport would like to win a competition at least once. To be the best in their discipline. How can they achieve this goal? It may be necessary to start with the correct choice of sports discipline, since it is possible to describe a naturally suitable body type for each discipline. Many athletes won at the Olympics and World Championships precisely because their physique was different from others, and this helped them to perform better in sports. Jamaican sprinters have long legs and narrow hips, which are an advantage when running and jumping. Marathon runners from Kenya and Ethiopia have very slim calves and ankles. Athletes who rotate in the air during performance, such as figure skaters and gymnasts, are shorter. In water polo and handball, longer forearms allow for a more effective swing when throwing. Longer forearms also allow kayakers and canoeists to perform powerful, repetitive strokes, while weightlifters need shorter forearms. A short torso and relatively long legs are important in basketball and volleyball, while a long torso and short legs ensure swimmers move faster in the water. The morphology and physiology of the body, which is largely genetically determined, is an important factor in choosing a sport.