Sportsperson in the context of "Athletics (physical culture)"

⭐ In the context of Athletics, what is considered a major form of sporting activity *besides* those primarily based on human physical competition?

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⭐ Core Definition: Sportsperson

An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including track and field and marathon runners but excluding e.g. swimmers, footballers or basketball players. However, in other contexts (mainly in the United States) it is used to refer to all athletics (physical culture) participants of any sport. For the latter definition, the word sportsperson or the gendered sportsman or sportswoman are also used. A third definition is also sometimes used, meaning anyone who is physically fit regardless of whether they compete in a sport.

Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-developed physiques obtained by extensive physical training and strict exercise, accompanied by a strict dietary regimen.

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👉 Sportsperson in the context of Athletics (physical culture)

Athletics is a term encompassing the human competitive sports and games requiring physical skill, and the systems of training that prepare athletes for competitive performance. Athletic sports or contests are competitions which are primarily based on human physical competition, demanding the qualities of stamina, fitness, and skill. Athletic sports form the bulk of popular sporting activities, with other major forms including motorsports, precision sports, extreme sports and animal sports.

Athletic contests, as one of the earliest types of sport, are prehistoric and comprised a significant part of the Ancient Olympic Games, along with equestrian events. The word "athletic" is derived from the Ancient Greek: άθλος (athlos) meaning "contest." Athletic sports became organized in the late 19th century with the formation of organizations such as the Amateur Athletic Union in the United States and the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques in France. The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (later the National Collegiate Athletic Association) was established in 1906 to oversee athletic sports at college-level in the United States, known as college athletics.

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In this Dossier

Sportsperson in the context of Footballers

A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby league, and rugby union.

It has been estimated that there are 250 million association football players in the world, and many play other forms of football.

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Sportsperson in the context of 1980 Winter Paralympics

The 1980 Winter Paralympic Games (Norwegian: Paralympiske vinterleker 1980; Nynorsk: Paralympiske vinterleikane 1980), the second Winter Paralympics, were held from 1 to 7 February 1980 in Geilo, Norway. Eighteen countries took part with 299 athletes. A demonstration event was held in sledge downhill racing. All classes of athletes with locomotor disabilities were able to participate. Organized by the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF) and the International Sports Federation of the Disabled (ISOD).

Originally known as the 2nd Olympic Winter Games for Disabled.

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Sportsperson in the context of 2008 Summer Paralympics

The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games (Chinese: 2008年夏季残疾人奥林匹克运动会; pinyin: 2008 Nián Xiàjì Cánjí Rén Àolínpǐkè Yùndònghuì), the 13th Summer Paralympic Games, took place in Beijing, China, from September 6 to 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao. It was first time the new Paralympic logo featured in the Summer Paralympics since its rebranding after the 2004 Summer Paralympics. The Paralympics (both Summer and Winter) held in Beijing is the first and only to be held with spectator, as the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing held without spectator due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3,951 athletes from 146 countries took part, the largest number of nations ever (ten more than the 2004 Games in Athens). Five countries competed for the first time. As host country, China fielded more athletes than any other country. The slogan for the 2008 Paralympics was the same as the 2008 Summer Olympics, "One World, One Dream" (simplified Chinese: 同一个世界 同一个梦想; traditional Chinese: 同一個世界 同一個夢想 Pinyin Tóng yīge shìjìe tóng yīge mèngxiǎng, lit. "One World, One Dream"). China dominated the medal count, finishing with 89 gold medals and 211 total medals, more than double the next-ranked NPC in both cases. 339 Paralympic records and 279 world records were broken. International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Philip Craven declared the Games "the greatest Paralympic Games ever."

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Sportsperson in the context of 1976 Winter Paralympics

The 1976 Winter Paralympic Games (Swedish: Paralympiska vinterspelen 1976) were the first Winter Paralympics. They were held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, from 21 to 28 February 1976. The disabilities included in this Paralympics were blindness and amputees. Sixteen countries took part with 196 athletes. There were competitions in Alpine and Nordic skiing for amputee and visually impaired athletes, and a demonstration event in ice sledge racing.

They were originally known as the 1st Winter Olympic Games for the Disabled.

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Sportsperson in the context of Time trial

In many racing sports, an athlete (or occasionally a team of athletes) will compete in a time trial (TT) against the clock to secure the fastest time. The format of a time trial can vary, but usually follow a format where each athlete or team sets off at a predetermined interval to set the fastest time on a course.

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Sportsperson in the context of Plyometrics

Plyometrics, also known as plyos or more generally as jump training, involves exercises in which muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time, with the goal of increasing power (speed-strength). This training focuses on learning to move from a muscle extension to a contraction in a rapid or "explosive" manner, such as in specialized repeated jumping. In this case, it involves applying more power during the exercise in a way that increasingly activates the body's stretch shortening cycle. This enables the faster achievement of all stages of the jumping movement, including the jumping phase, the landing crouch and shock absorption phase, and the amortisation phase which is when the change between the landing and jumping phases takes place. The ability to increasingly apply power during all of these movement phases, and thereby perform more powerfully and rapidly overall, has transferability to many other sporting and athletic pursuits where similar repetitive movements are required e.g. the general training effect of plyometrics improves sportspeople's ability to sprint. Progressive plyometric training can help to reduce the chances of injury, especially to the lower leg, ankle and foot.

Plyometrics are frequently used by athletes, especially martial artists, sprinters and high jumpers, to improve performance, and are used in the general fitness field to a lesser degree.

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Sportsperson in the context of 2006 Commonwealth Games

The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006, were an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth held in Melbourne, Australia between 15 and 26 March 2006. It was the fourth time Australia had hosted the Commonwealth Games. It was also the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.

More than 4,000 athletes from 71 Commonwealth Games Associations took part in the event. Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth of Nations and Commonwealth Games Federation on 8 December 2003 and so did not participate in the event. With 245 sets of medals, the games featured 17 Commonwealth sports. These sporting events took place at 13 venues in the host city, two venues in Bendigo and one venue each in Ballarat, Geelong, Lysterfield Park and Traralgon.

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