Why is it that pretty much all the great sprinters have been black? im guessing they have a genetic advantage?

Question

btw, if anyone even starts to think this is a racist anything you are completely wrong, im just curious.

Answer 1

I did once hear that black people have a bone less in their heels which make their feet more flexible than other races, but I don't how true it is. I do know that an african ex boyfriend of mine could take off running, from a standing start, faster than anyone else I have ever known.

Answer 2

I'm thinking it's genetic or due to evolution.  There was a joke that made the rounds back before Political Correctness that asked the same question, as to why the black athletes were also the fastest ones at running and the answer was... "The slow ones were eaten by Lions"... that may have some truth in it... in a society where being a fast runner could make the difference between life and death.. the faster people WOULD tend to survive and they would pass that gene on to their offspring.

THIS WAS NOT INTENDED AS RACIST... it's a SERIOUS ANSWER TO A SERIOUS... so lit's LIGHTEN UP A BIT.... OK.!

Answer 3

Not all black are fast runners, obviously, but the majority of very fast sprinters by far are black.    It is not just that they train harder or go out for track more often.   I coached both black and white runners at the Junior High and High school level and almost all of my top sprinters were black.   The white runners tried just as hard as far as I could see.   I have read there are some differences in body structure and definitely some differences in fast twitch vs. slow twitch muscle makeup.    How many fast Eskimos have you seen?   Their body structure does seem to not favor speed.

Answer 4

I completely agree with you, it is genetic.

Black people have a slightly different body make up. FACT: They have a genetically lower % of body fat and a slightly higher % of muscle.

Not that I imply what I have just said is why they run faster (though it certainly would help) but the point I make is if they have these small differences that are clearly visible then the genetic ability to run faster/perform better is probably hidden away somewhere inside.

I think its related to testosterone levels. They DO have more muscle, they DO have lower bodyfat, they ARE faster and (sorry to say) as a race they ARE more aggressive. All clear signs of a higher % of testosterone. And that also is not racism but fact.

Answer 5

There was a tv programme on BBC the other day to research this very question.

Colin Jackson, the GB gold medallist whose parents originate from Jamaica researched this.  It seems that it is a mix of genetics (muscle type and physique) and West Indian culture where competitive sports are pushed in schools and there is a great interest in watching and supporting athletics and a desire to succeed.

Answer 6

a black man can do an hours exercise a week and gain more muscle then if a white man did the same amount everyday, black people have more stamina. but its not really about being black or white because having darker skin just means you have more pigment in your skin, its about the nationality, black people originate from africa so i guess you could say it has something to do with their african backround, a lot of other nations have other qualities so yeh i guess it is a genetic advantage x

- "Alarafan2" not all black people live in a ghetto

why have you taken my answer offensively??

Answer 7

your question could be racist because racism implies ignorance rather than hatred (a symptom).  Anywho...

to answer your question, the reason is training. These people have trained very hard from youth to do what they do. They probably have also come from areas where track and field are a dominant sport to participate in and have had a great deal of practice in competition. Where biology comes into it is how they train (exercise, what they eat, etc.)-they're body adapts to the body of a sprinter/athlete so they can compete in that field.

hope that answers your question.

Answer 8

Do you find it interesting that the great black sprinters all come from the Western Hemisphere?  Few great sprinters, who are black, come from the Eastern Hemisphere.  Africa, as a continent, produces few or no sprinters YET, produces great marthoners.

It is important to understand that any athlete performing at an Olympic level and able to get into the top 16 in any event is a genetic freak as compared to the rest of society.  So, regardless of any ideas, you are looking at a percentage of society that is so low that asking the question asked on this thread is almost a moot point as there is no real pattern.

Regardless, I'd suggest that there is some selective breeding still affecting the black population.  Sprinters are usually great physical specimens as they must be very strong to perform at that level.  My suggestion is that there is still an effect from slavery in that the strongest slaves were the first to be sold.  That creates a specific gene pool that, to some degree, still exists.  

In addition, there are still great runners, at all distances, that represent all ethnicities.  Therefore,

Blacks do not have or lack any bones.  They do not have higher levels of testosterone..  Blacks DO NOT gain muscle faster than other ethnicities.  Blacks must work just as hard at their trade as do others.  Blacks do NOT have greater muscle mass NOR are they more aggressive than others ... that is all pure BS.  The only true statement from all of the other replies is that Blacks have a lower percentage of body fat than do whites, Asians, and Hispanics.

Answer 9

How many do you see in the swimming pool?

Answer 10

Combination of nature and nurture. Cultural factors are likely to contribute to the success of Black sprinters. For example, track and field has historically held a high place of honor in African-American culture.

Read this very good (short) article from slate.com

http://www.slate.com/id/2197721/

Answer 11

Partly because this is one area black men are 'allowed' to excel at in that there are fewer barriers than in other areas.  For many black young people sport is the only way out of 'the ghetto' or whatever so that is where they focus their efforts.  Try taking a corporate interview as a black man then tell me discrimination is ''imaginary'.