nature vs nurture argument

[freedom1]

This article was posted on Track and Field News today:

Jamaicans are born to run

Tuesday, 08 July 2008

George Kerr
The question has been asked on numerous occasions as to why Jamaica is capable of producing so many champion athletes. For decades, the little island that the locals call Jamrock, has produced the likes of Arthur Wint, George Kerr, Lennox Miller, Donald Quarrie, Bertland Cameron, Dion Hemmings and many more who have reached the heights of their sport.

Many others such as Donovan Bailey, Sandra Farmer-Patrick, Linford Christie and Sanya Richards have originated from Jamaica but represented other countries and achieved greatness as well. But why is that? Well, scientists from Scotland and Jamaica say it's genetic.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of the West Indies (UWI) have tested over 200 Jamaican athletes over the past two years and their preliminary findings show that a vast majority of the athletes from Jamaica possess the actinen protein.

The ACTN3 gene produces a protein called alpha-actinen-3, which is found in skeletal muscle and involved in the process of muscle contraction. It is predominately found in 'fast twitch' muscle, and contributes to the ability of these muscles to generate forceful muscle contraction at a high rate of repetition.

According to Professor Errol Morrison, president of the University of Technology (UTech), the universities involved have been studying athletes from around the world, particularly those of West African origin. The data has revealed that the ACTN3 gene has been found in 70 per cent of the athletes from Jamaica. A much lower percentage of athletes tested from other countries possessed the gene.

Athletes tested included Jamaican Olympic legends Herb McKenley and Grace Jackson-Small as well as members of the MVP track club, home to Asafa Powell, Sherone Simpson, Bridgette Foster-Hylton and Michael Frater.

What these initial results are saying is that Jamaicans are born to run. It says that Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Merlene Ottey were predisposed to run fast and there are possibly hundreds more like them waiting to be discovered.

"It is quite clear that there are a lot of people with this potential to be good performers who, by nurturing the environment for them, the nutrition, training, focusing the whole psychological competitiveness, we can remain at the forefront for many years to come," Professor Morrison said.

 

[white lightning]

Genetics play a huge role in sprinting but there are many other things involved. For one, in Jamaica, sprinting is the national pasttime. It's like the NFL in America. Kids dream about being the fastest man or woman. Look at countries like Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, German. Kids dream about playing Soccer and that is why they continue to excel.

The other thing which is even bigger is the lack of any type of Jamaican Anti Drug Agency. They have always looked the other way. For a little nation to get the publicity & money that these sprinters bring, alot of countries that small would look away too. PEDs are rampant over there. It's not a secret. I wonder if WADA will ever crack down on them like they have on so many other countries.

I think alot of these kids would be very talented even without the roids, but 9.7 times on a regular basis, give me a break. I know track and I know b.s. when I see it. Steroids has been the downfall of athletics all around the world. Jamaica just might be near or at the top of the list of cheaters.Edited by: white lightning

 

[white is right]

Also poverty is a huge motivator too. Many of these athletes are from homes where they have no luxuries. Very few athletes with world championship potential are going to waste their talents or ignore them(because of that).

 

[white lightning]

That's a very good point white is right. It's like the kids in the ghetto/projects here or the poor kids from parts of europe and the rest of the world.

I still have to question nevada. I give trying to give him the benefit of the doubt like the rest of us but the majority of his posts are anti white. He also posts many things praising the black athlete. When are you going to contribute more to our side of the argument. Whites are great athletes as well and we are the ones facing the discrimination now on a regular basis. From sports to all walks of life. Please feel free to respond nevada. Why do you keep riding the fence? Do you support white athletes?

You don't have to cut down other athletes to support your own. Which side are you on? Just curious because you need to show again that you can contribute. If not, there is a whole internet out there to cut down everything about us and our cultrure. It's goes far beyond sports. This site is about equality!

 

[GiovaniMarcon]

I kind of get wary when scientists start harping about how non-whites have instances of genetic superiority over other races, but to point out possible instances of genetic white superiority is totally taboo.

Yes I think Jamaicans are fast sprinters. I also think Jamaicans are big cheaters. They may have the percentages on their side but they stack the chips higher illegally.

They've queered the pitch for everyone.

Anyway...

I'm sure articles that seek genetic answers to human differences will make Ashkenazi Jews happier about the theory that they are genetically superior to the rest of the planet and that's why their IQs are so high.

I'm still waiting on the genetics-based argument that explains why Whoopi Goldberg is so fug. I think she got nurtured that way -- by the ugly stick.

 

[Observer]

...studying athletes from around the world, particularly those of West African origin. The data has revealed that the ACTN3 gene has been found in 70 per cent of the athletes from Jamaica. A much lower percentage of athletes tested from other countries possessed the gene.

I don't get it. Why would Jamaica have a higher percentage with this gene than other West Africans? Was there a biochemist analyzing this on the slave ships? Or did a comet fly over Jamaica and everyone mutated?

There is something strange about this. Maybe the aboriginal Indian population of Jamaica had a high percentage of this gene, and then there was subsequently a high degree of mixing between the native Indians and the West Afrians? I am no expert on Jamaican history, but I would guess that this was not the case.

If someone has time, they should take a peak at the parameters of this study. They must not be comparing sprinters vs. sprinters (or other power athletes); but sprinters vs. golfers or distance runners or some sport that is not as power-dependent.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Personally I have heard that within 25 years or so, certainly with in 50 years; they will know what every single gene in the human genome codes for. There is actually a lot of junk DNA in there that codes for basically nothing, but there is just so much to decode.

I think what will be found will give credence to Caste Football's position. I think it is possible that there is something about the shape/ length of the West African ethnic person's leg or the muscles that allow them to run "slightly" faster over 100 and 200 meters. However, I think they will not find this mythical loose hip crap.

Even if they do find differences in the hips of West Africans and whites, I think the evidence will be on our side that whites can play RB in the NFL effectively. Whites seem to have just as good if not better short burst ability and we also own the Squat and Bench Press records and those things can be very important to running the ball too and shifting momentum.

I also believe that what James Watson said may be correct although it is rude to say without the full proof study being there yet. We may find that East Asians, Caucasians and Indians (from India) and Middle Easterners have a genetic advantage for Math and Science over West African peoples and maybe Native Americans, Polynesians and South East Asians as well. But if we find this, we will just have to deal with this and not let it divide us. A weakness for a group in one area can be made up in another area. Different ethnic groups generally have different strengths and weaknesses, IMO differences between races are small but "overall" humanity is pretty equal in the scheme of things.

 

[waterbed]

jamaican blacks have on average 8% white admixture and african americans on average 30%(30% of the african americans men have a y chromosome of an white european)
or what White lightning says it has to do with anti drug agenda.In Jamaica you have really ghetto's in usa some people THINK they live in ghetto.

 

[Observer]

I just did a bit of reading about the ACTN3 gene and the protein called alpha-actinen-3. Apparently, this is the "normal" gene for humanity, while the lack of it is considered a mutation; with the lack of it being advantageous to doing work with high energy requirements. Asians have the highest percentage of the mutation, West Africans have the lowest percentage of the mutation. From what I interpolated from the Wikipedia article, people with this normal protein died out in most places in the world because they could not work hard enough to survive. In other words, this protein is advantageous for sprinting to the dinner table or laying in a hammock and picking fruit off a tree. But this protein it a disadvantage for using oxygen and burning energy efficiently in prolonged exertion.

With the beautiful climate in the Caribbean, I can see why this "lazy man's muscle" would predominate.

 

[Observer]

I wonder if a study of white high jumpers or Olympic-style weightlifters would yield similar results of a high proportion of this protein?
Good luck on getting funding for that one!

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

So there are whites without this mutation also just less of them?

So this apparently doesn't prove anything really. I would suspect that many whites that are fast and explosive lack this mutation as well.

Maybe this is also why west African blacks generally don't do well in long distance running? They are good up until about 800 meters, but above that it is East Africans who dominate and to a lesser extent others. Having that ACTN3 gene would certainly hurt you above 400 meters.

 

[white lightning]

Since we have talked alot about Coach Hart, Wariners former coach, I thought I would again repeat what he said. It was in an interview and he said he saw no difference between white sprinters and black sprinters. He used to be a sprinter himself and remembers when there were alot of world class white guys.

Hart says that it mostly comes down to white kids being discouraged and not having the belief. Hart said he trained Wariner the same as he did MJ. If a world class coach thinks that whites can compete and win olympic medals at all distances, why can't the fans, the public, the coaches and the athletes belive it? I for one am one of the few to belive that a white sprinter can break the world record someday in the 100! People roll their eyes but it will just take the right kid with the right talent at the upper end of the bell curve. Pickering could just be that guy within the next 4-6 years. I belive even if I'm the only one.

I have always thought that the numbers of elite black sprinters are exagerated because of the lack of participation by enough elite white athletes. Most of these white athletes go into other sports. Many, I repeat many could become the track stars if they stayed with the sport.

I give black athletes their due. Some of them are incredible to watch on or off the field but the same can be said for elite white athletes who get 1% of the attention or credit for anything they do. I truely belive that we need to have a white man become the fastest man in the world or at least win a few olympic gold medals in order for even some of the skeptics to belive. I will continue to fight for the existence of white sprinters in the uphill battle they face.

If we listen to guys like Entine, Wariner could not be real. He must be fake. It is not possible. He must be part black. What a joke. I would faint if I ever see the day where they ask a black sprinter, are you part white because, damn are you fast. Whites can compete. Belive it people.Edited by: white lightning

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I would suspect that there is another gene that helps or hinders one for ultra long distances. Maybe whites are destined to begin dominance of the middle distances in the current era. That is, if we can get white Americans back into track again. I truly believe that whites are capable of capturing the record over 400 meters(Wariner) and 800 meters (Webb?). We also should have a shot with a record in the 110 hurdles, 400 meter hurdles and high jump.

Although Javier Sotomayor was a known coke head who was finally banished from track late in his career for use of steroids. And the dude also had the advantage of being 6'4 instead of 5'10 which is Stefan Holm's height. I guess cheaters do prosper!

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Since we have talked alot about Coach Hart, Wariners former coach, I thought I would again repeat what he said. It was in an interview and he said he saw no difference between white sprinters and black sprinters. He used to be a sprinter himself and remembers when there were alot of world class white guys.

Hart says that it mostly comes down to white kids being discouraged and not having the belief. Hart said he trained Wariner the same as he did MJ. If a world class coach thinks that whites can compete and win olympic medals at all distances, why can't the fans, the public, the coaches and the athletes belive it? I for one am one of the few to belive that a white sprinter can break the world record someday in the 100! People roll their eyes but it will just take the right kid with the right talent at the upper end of the bell curve. Pickering could just be that guy within the next 4-6 years. I belive even if I'm the only one.

I have always thought that the numbers of elite black sprinters are exagerated because of the lack of participation by enough elite white athletes. Most of these white athletes go into other sports. Many, I repeat many could become the track stars if they stayed with the sport.

I give black athletes their due. Some of them are incredible to watch on or off the field but the same can be said for elite white athletes who get 1% of the attention or credit for anything they do. I truely belive that we need to have a white man become the fastest man in the world or at least win a few olympic gold medals in order for even some of the skeptics to belive. I will continue to fight for the existence of white sprinters in the uphill battle they face.

If we listen to guys like Entine, Wariner could not be real. He must be fake. It is not possible. He must be part black. What a joke. I would faint if I ever see the day where they ask a black sprinter, are you part white because, damn are you fast. Whites can compete. Belive it people.

Well, I respect your optimism white lightning, but 10 flat is a long ways off right now from 9.72. I do agree with some of your analysis about discouragement and lack of participation by whites, but a white running in the 9.9x range would be a "major" achievement at this point although I do agree that Pickering if he can stay healthy will be the first to do so.

I am thoroughly convinced that most times under 9.9 and all times under 9.85 are aided from the use of PEDS. Just think of the first 3 guys who ran sub 9.8 two are proven juicers and the other Maurice Greene is now linked through witnesses to roids. From 1976-1988 there had been 8 electronic times total under 10 seconds and 6 were by Carl Lewis. From 1988-2008; there have been over 300 times under 10 seconds total.

I think the two current Jamaican stars are dirty and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Gay was dirty as well. I think track stars are throughly convinced right now that the only way you can win a 100 meter gold is with PED help. Until there is faith that the entire field is clean this will continue to be the case. I do believe that there will be a day again when the field is entirely clean that a gold can be won in the 9.85-10.05 range at the Olympics again. The testing methods are going to have to get tougher and better to bring back faith to the sport.

I think some of the genetic evidence we have been looking at in the other post with the ACTN3 gene being more prominent in West African peoples would prove that steroids might work better on them as a group percentage wise. The ACTN3 muscle gene is for faster contracting muscles, but this gene causes less aerobic respiration for the muscles which would make it more difficult to train hard causing those with it to tire out faster without roids.

Overall though there are whites with this gene as well. I think the disparity over 100 meters has more to do with the fact that blacks on average have longer legs for their body ratio on average, just as they have longer arms on average. Again it is a percentage game. There are whites out there with long legs for their height who have the ACTN3 gene, but finding these guys when there is a discouragement problem and lack of participation is tough. Plus a white guy knows if he does run sub 10, roid accusations, legitimate or not, will fly...ie. "I don't believe a white guy can run that fast, he must be a roid head".

I will put forth one big piece of optimism from this long Dennis Miller rant/post...Craig Pickering will go sub 10 by the end of next year's outdoor track season if he can avoid injury!

 

[white lightning]

Nice post TJR. I really enjoy reading your posts as your knowledge in all sports is very impressive. We agree on Pickering however I think that he will do it within the next couple of months. It could happen at the Olympics in China but like the British Olympic Trials, he will have to run rounds. That takes so much energy so I think it will happen most likely in a meet with a one and done race like at a Gran Prix.

In Cycling, they have proven over and over how many guys are taking roids, epo, etc. To think that Gay, X.Carter, Dix, Powell, Bolt, and others are not doing something is very hard to believe. I belive that most sprinters are doing some kind of peds. I personally don't care as lnog as either whites do them as well, or no one does them. I want prefer for Pickering to go sub 10 clean. But if he was on something too, then so be it because there are far too many cheaters out there. I belive Pickering like Gardner are clean however as they fight against drugs as strong as any sprinters I've ever seen. The UK has a very strong anti doping program as they are sick of guys like L.Christie and D.Chambers. I would be shocked if Craig was on anything.

I will really shock you now TJR and others. Pickering will go sub 10 soon, and sub 9.90 within the next four years. DAMN.......Did he really say that? Yes I did and I stand by what I say. Edited by: white lightning

 

[Observer]

I did more reading, and this ACTN3 protein seems to be the norm for any kind of power athlete, especially so for women (not always the case with men). The Scotland study above looked at Jamaican sprinters, but similar results have been found in studies by Russians and Australians on power athletes who are caucasian (weightlifting, sprinting, sprint cycling).

 

[white lightning]

Keep up the good work Observer. That is how the media works for the most part. Anything to cut people of european ancestry down and lift other people up. Every study that talks about intelligence or other things is ignored by the US and World Media. Asians are the only other people who can compare in the intelligence factor but you will never read that. Anything to hold whitey down.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Keep up the good work Observer. That is how the media works for the most part. Anything to cut people of european ancestry down and lift other people up. Every study that talks about intelligence or other things is ignored by the US and World Media. Asians are the only other people who can compare in the intelligence factor but you will never read that. Anything to hold whitey down.

Well if you're talking about affinity for Math and Science and memory, I would agree that whites and East Asians and those from India the Middle East and Pakistan seem to have a slight advantage. But intelligence is a very broad category and other groups like Native Americans and blacks seem to do well in the social sciences and creative arts. Not to sound racist, but I'd say West Africans lag behind the most in math and Science.

That is kind of what James Watson was implying about some of the problems with Africa building a structured society having to do with IQ. Watson had to recant his statement or face firing from his University. I think Watson is entitled to his opinion that research will come out in the next 10-20 years that shows certain groups lag behind a bit "genetically" in IQ. Watson is a former Nobel Prize winner after all so he has some credibility!