Olympics - why aren’t there many/any black swimmers?

[JP_]

I have wondered if bone strength could be a factor, but not in the sense of making the athletes stronger, but in being less prone to injury.
Most athletes get injured at some point, and this ruins training plans, and cuts short careers. If bones, tendons, & ligaments and less prone to damage during training, that would be a big competitive advantage.

No idea if any research done though.

Paula Radcliff dominated women's long distance running for a while.

 

[JP_]

I have wondered if bone strength could be a factor, but not in the sense of making the athletes stronger, but in being less prone to injury.
Most athletes get injured at some point, and this ruins training plans, and cuts short careers. If bones, tendons, & ligaments and less prone to damage during training, that would be a big competitive advantage.

No idea if any research done.

Paula Radcliff dominated women's long distance running for a while though.

I did read about Mo Farrah a few years back, and he talked about the training ethic of the Kenyan runners. He said he learned more from training with them than anything else. They put in more hours, more miles and are just more dedicated to the sport. Too many westerners, black and white, just don't want to make the sacrifice needed to be an elite long distance runner.

 

[ChrisR]

Tis all over the net about bone densities and buoyancy, eg bones https://depts.washington.edu/bonebio/bonAbout/race.html.
Long story short - the spreads overlap but the average "black" male has a small physical disadvantage.
From that there should be more asian swimmers, if that was all there is to it.
A host of other factors come in to it - cultural, facilities, etc etc etc.

When I was a young tourist in Tanzania the group played footie with the local Maasai. Pretty even.
Then we tried spear-chucking. Whiteys demolished !
Someone mentioned swimming and the local guys all wagged their fingers and shrunk back laughing, saying they couldn't swim. Crocs and bilharzia may have had something to do with it.

Interesting to spend time with them. One who had just let blood from a cow, was taking a year back with his tribe in the middle of his economics degree.

 

[charliegolf]

The sprinters have a higher proportion of what are called 'fast-twitch' muscles which lend themselves to the explosive events. LD runners have a far better oxygen uptake than yer average person; and that helps with the endurance. My take is that swimmers are in between. Many African runners also live at altitude, which is a killer for others- hence the whiteys who do altitude training to compensate.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I dunno Harry but in real life with no ropes, some are pretty damn quick!

How do they do that....... It looks impossible to go up at that speed.

 

[sxturbo]

I'm sure there are some unsavoury jokes as to why there is a lot of black runners.... Maybe that's the reason there isn't many black swimmers.

Although honestly does it really matter how many black or white people are in any particular sport.

Maybe a certain sport just doesn't appeal to some people.

There is still plenty of council run leisure centres around, so I don't believe it's to do with that, although they are apparently struggling for cash according to a BBC article in may this year, a mix of covid and under funding (though bet councillors don't miss out on their pay rises)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...qi=2&usg=AOvVaw2kW9WqwDN0VolzA1b0S_hm&ampcf=1

 

[gasbusters]

I'm sure there are some unsavoury jokes as to why there is a lot of black runners.... Maybe that's the reason there isn't many black swimmers.

Although honestly does it really matter how many black or white people are in any particular sport.

Maybe a certain sport just doesn't appeal to some people.

There is still plenty of council run leisure centres around, so I don't believe it's to do with that, although they are apparently struggling for cash according to a BBC article in may this year, a mix of covid and under funding (though bet councillors don't miss out on their pay rises)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...qi=2&usg=AOvVaw2kW9WqwDN0VolzA1b0S_hm&ampcf=1

Local council run swimming facilities have closed down locally since the tories came to power.

 

[JP_]

I think it is just time. People are generally inspired by family and friends.

e.g I've never played golf, I remember my dad saying he hated it. Maybe one of my kids will play, or maybe a future grandchild will take up the sport, who knows?

In the country my wife is from, swimming is something only rich people do. On one holiday we tried to go to a pool, but it was impossible (well, we ended up booking a few nights in a five 5 star resort up the coast). She's from a city, but we could not find a single swimming pool we could just visit for the day - you have to be a paid up club member if you want to swim in a pool.

 

[Bodd]

Ethiopians seem to dominate, endurance. Why I don’t know.

Well I'm fed up of this racism..... I want to see more White male Endurance runners and nail bar technicians.

 

[Mottie]

Local council run swimming facilities have closed down locally since the tories came to power.

I live in a Tory borough and we’ve just had a brand new sports centre open recently. Everyone in this Tory Borough over the age of 50 gets free swimming sessions.

 

[Bodd]

There have been studies showing white people have higher body fat percentage, but that's about it.

Not if your a professional olympic swimmer!!@@

 

[Bodd]

I have wondered if bone strength could be a factor, but not in the sense of making the athletes stronger, but in being less prone to injury.
Most athletes get injured at some point, and this ruins training plans, and cuts short careers. If bones, tendons, & ligaments and less prone to damage during training, that would be a big competitive advantage.

No idea if any research done.

Paula Radcliff dominated women's long distance running for a while though.

I did read about Mo Farrah a few years back, and he talked about the training ethic of the Kenyan runners. He said he learned more from training with them than anything else. They put in more hours, more miles and are just more dedicated to the sport. Too many westerners, black and white, just don't want to make the sacrifice needed to be an elite long distance runner.

Today I rescued a cyclists from a country lane in Norfolk. His tyre was fùcked. I drove him to the nearest town.... 24 years old he was a professional road racer. Now semi professional because the difference between making 20 grand a year and hundreds of thousands was time commitment and missing out on a family life.... but there's plenty of white athletes who make that commitment and excel I their field...

 

[JP_]

Yes, as somebody once pointed out, Brits excel in sports that involve sitting down - all types of cycling, sailing, horse riding, rowing ...

 

[crystal ball]

Not BMX

 

[Bodd]

Yes, as somebody once pointed out, Brits excel in sports that involve sitting down - all types of cycling, sailing, horse riding, rowing ...

Not bad for sitting on their bums