My understanding of the body of studies on genetics and behavioral characteristics is that about 50% of the variation in an attribute is due to genetics and the other 50% is ‘everything else.’ This 50% genetic variation appears to hold true over a surprisingly wide range of characteristics.
So, if you are slow, you can only half blame your parents 
Studies on genetics and behaviour (twin studies) are based on shaky assumptions, which are highly criticised by some scientists (and me hehe). Like I said before, there are examples (like hothousing) which show that the brain is incredibly flexible. To sum up behavioural geneticists vastly underestimate the complexity and flexibility of the brain.
For a good example I have seen a report of a man now who was classified autistic, could not speak or read or write, who had an measured IQ of less than 50 (relative to his age group), at age 6 or 7. His mother is an expert neurologist, and was able to transform him into a straight A student, one of the top students in his school, with a measured IQ of over 150, etc etc. There are a lot of these stories about.
This isn’t a psychology forum, so I’m trying not to go on about it at length, but I could with loads of references if it was a psychology forum!
Then I will defer to your expertise, but I wasn’t really talking about the potential for a given individual, instead I was talking about how much genetics is responsible for variation among a group. This is well established, no?
I find the whole genetics question rather academic anyway. There is nothing I can do about my genetics, so I prefer to work with and ponder things that I have influence over. And I totally agree that there is probably more flexibility and potential in our abilities than we have tapped into.
Most people don’t even get close to their genetic limits but it is an all too easy excuse.
Tough to know where McTear could have gone. Muhammed Ali gave him total support but he squandered his chance. Now we’ll never know.
At the end of the day, coulda, woulda, shoulda, just doesn’t cut it.
I think you sum it up there very well. Again I would just argue that there is an important difference between theoretical genetic limits (which can’t be observed) and observable biological limits.
I don’t believe that it has been well established genetics is solely or even significantly responsible for variation in mental abilities is well established (assuming healthy individuals here without chromasome defects), because of the immense capacity of the brain to adapt and learn. Yes it’s established for physical characteristics.
The interpretations of Darwin’s theory, and application to modern man is subject of heated debate (many many books) and I believe some take it too far in terms of what is fixed… but it’s confusing!! and again I agree it’s somewhat academic, especially for sportsmen! (edit - academic apart from when it is used for theories of eugenics, or similar ideas are used for mass propaganda - racism, genocide etc.)
Armin Hary…the forniture guy of 1960 Olympics.
10 flat without train and working in a forniture store.
Also, Bailey, i heard that Bailey start sprints at 26 y/o.
And of course, Ben Johnson.
it’s 10,2 at the Olympics (hand timed?) according to my Chronicle of the 20th century. Was the 10flat in a different round or competition? Was it a new WR at the time?
Bolt…
There’s a better example he’s a lot more likely to be clean, Bolt will be an interesting case to follow, I’ll watch with interest.
I “watched” Armins history in one of the Movie Series: Olympic Cinema.
Armin Hary set 10.0s in 1960, but they denied his new WR with an allegation that the track was inclined…
then, Armin run 10.0s again handed time and they converted to 10.32s.
http://los.idx.com.au/1960_100m.zip
http://www.100zone.8m.com/Hary.htm
http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=2112
Armin Hary didn’t train? Since when? He was a well trained, experienced world record holder going into Rome.
Bailey was in the 10.30s by the time he left HS.
You guys all love neon Dion Sanders.
Just remembered. Armin Hary’s coach was Bert Sumszer (sp?) who was the coach of Bayer Leverkeusen for years. Some of his training methods were outlined in a T and F News book called “How They Train”.
LOL, Soccer team Bayer Leverkeusen ?
Well, Living & Learning,
Tks Charlie
No. The track club. (Does it still exist? As you can see from my avatar, I’ve been cryogenically stored for awhile.)
Wow, Armin Hary. Theres a name from the past I almost completely forgot.
I see from his bio that he was a soccer kid crossover athlete so maybe Bayer was tied to soccer?
Armin Hary went on to be convicted and sent to prison for 3 years in 1980 for a $3.2 milliion swindle of some kind. Man, what a life.
Charlie, talking about your avatar…
every time that i see Mike Myers on TV i remember you,
last time was on Kids Choice…
i have to confess that i´m giving more respect for that actor since i´m a member of this site.
He’s pretty funny- and he’s from Toronto!
It does - (it is a sports club for all different kinds of sports):
http://www.tsvbayer04.de/leichtathletik/topathlet/olympiateam.htm
Medal Athletes are Steffi Nerius (Javelin, PB: 69.42, 65.76new - all time no 8) and Stolle (Pole Vault, PB: 5.95- all time no 14), but not too much success in sprints recently…
Generally Germany is an example of an incredible decline in athletics. After the fall of the wall they were one of the biggest power in athletics. And now - next to nothing…no idea why - it was all there, the GDR trainers and knowledge, the money of the Western part?
Some of the GDR trainers work in Poland now - one reason why Poland improved a lot in 200 (sub 20), 400 and even relays…