Talent identification and development represent central topics within sport sciences due to the increasing competitiveness of elite sport and the investment made by sport organizations to identify talented athletes from early ages and support their progression toward elite adult performance. However, the developmental pathways of elite athletes and the prediction of adult success from youth experiences remain unclear. Therefore, the present scoping review aimed to map, summarize, and critically analyze the scientific evidence regarding talent identification and development among highly competitive athletes. A literature search was performed in three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Studies examining developmental pathways, youth–adult performance relationships, predictive models among highly competitive athletes, as well as qualitative evidence regarding the experiences of elite athletes, were included. Manuscripts written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish were considered for analysis. 52 studies were included in the present review, representing a broad range of sport categories, predominantly CGS sports (n = 22), followed by game sports (n = 12), mixed-sport samples (n = 8), combat sports (n = 5), and artistic/compositional sports (n = 2). Early involvement in sport and in the main sport appeared to be common among highly competitive athletes; however, early specialization was not consistently associated with elite adult performance across sports. Diversified sport participation, engagement in coach-led and peer-led activities, and supportive sporting environments also emerged as important characteristics throughout athlete development. In general, youth performance demonstrated limited predictive validity for adult elite attainment although world-class athletes in some sports frequently presented superior developmental trajectories during adolescence. Furthermore, current predictive models frequently relied on isolated dimensions and did not adequately account for the multidimensional and non-linear nature of talent development. Talent identification and development should be understood as multidimensional and sport-specific processes influenced by multiple interacting constraints throughout athlete development. Although youth performance alone demonstrated limited predictive validity for adult elite attainment, developmental experiences during childhood and adolescence remain important for long-term athlete development. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and sport-specific approaches integrating multiple interacting constraints to improve the understanding and prediction of elite performance.
This study employed a mixed-methods approach grounded in Ecological Systems Theory to investigate factors contributing to Ethiopia's dominance in distance running. Data were collected from 145 Ethiopian distance runners (87 male, 58 female; mean age = 22.4 ± 3.1 years) using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews (n = 24), AQ1 and focus groups (n = 8). Quantitative analysis revealed that, in multivariable logistic regression, primary education level (odds ratio [OR] = 5.80, q < 0.005, where q is the false discovery rate [FDR]-adjusted P-value), 10th/12th certificate (OR = 0.20, q = 0.016), normal body mass index (OR = 2.85, q = 0.021), and academy training (OR = 2.40, q = 0.044) maintained statistical significance at q < 0.05, while recovery practices (OR = 2.38, q = 0.051) and centre-based training (OR = 2.23, q = 0.060) remained significant at q < 0.10. Qualitative analysis yielded three core themes: (1) The Forged Resilience: Hardship as an Unseen Training Ground; (2) The Weight of a Nation: Community as Support and Pressure; and (3) The Crossroads: Tradition Versus Modernization in Training. Integration showed that quantitative predictors were profoundly shaped by socioeconomic realities, with the "primary education" finding explained by athletes' physically demanding rural lifestyles. Ethiopian distance running success is a multifaceted phenomenon embedded within a complex system of community support, organizational culture, and socioeconomic background. Sustaining success requires systemic interventions extending well beyond individual athletes to strengthen the entire ecosystem in which Ethiopian champions are made.
Exertional tests have become an informative tool to assist with clinical concussion management and return-to-sport medical decisions. However, current tests are resource intensive and thus, we developed a widely accessible, multimodal exertional test (MET). The objectives of this study were: (1) To evaluate the discriminant validity of the MET by examining sex-stratified differences in symptoms, heart rate (HR), and performance metrics between concussed and healthy athletes; and (2) To assess the predictive (prognostic) validity of the MET by determining whether week 1 MET performance predicts time to medical clearance. This study was conducted at a single academic institution and affiliated sport medicine clinic in Toronto, Canada, with participants recruited between August 2022 and November 2024. 115 interuniversity athletes (female n=49, male n=66) completed the MET at off-season and 55 interuniversity athletes with concussion (female n=37, male n=18) completed the MET up to six times at 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-weeks post-injury. Average and maximum HR, symptoms, performance metrics, and MET pass/fail status were measured prior to and during the protocol. Probabilistic hierarchical models were implemented to estimate differences between concussion and healthy athletes (discriminant validity) and negative binomial analyses were used to examine whether MET performance predicted time to medical clearance (predictive validity). At 1-week post injury, concussed athletes exhibited greater symptom provocation during the MET compared to healthy athletes, with differences after each task. MET failure rates were highest during weeks 1 (63
Plyometric jump training (PJT) can improve athletes’ physical fitness across a range of sports and populations. Nonetheless, the role of PJT in adult female team-sport athletes’ fitness, jump performance, and kinematics remains unclear, particularly given the increasing number of published, heterogeneous studies. This systematic review aimed to first examine the effectiveness of PJT in improving physical fitness and jump-performance kinematics in adult female team-sport athletes, and second, to provide evidence-based recommendations for PJT prescription for this population. A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCO databases up to March 2026. The included studies recruited healthy female team-sport athletes (mean age: ≥ 18 years), incorporated a PJT programme ≥ 2 weeks in duration, included comparator groups, and assessed athletes’ physical fitness, jump performance, and/or kinematics. The risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Hedges’ g effect sizes (ES) with 95 https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NERCY
Esports performance relies on in-game, cognitive, and physiological capacities. Its growing professionalization has led to increasing interest in structured out-of-game training interventions as part of performance-support strategies for elite players. However, the feasibility and effects of such interventions in world-class professional players remain unexplored. The present exploratory ecological study examined the implementation of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and cognitive-motor training (CMT), together with training-related changes in in-game performance, executive functions, and cardiovascular outcomes, under competitive-season constraints in professional League of Legends (LOL; n = 5) and Valorant (VLR; n = 5) players. Data were collected at the team training facility in Berlin, Germany, between May and July 2024. Both interventions could be implemented during the competitive season, with 100.00
