Epstein Holm Character Traits

Throughout the world various cultures have excelled in particular sports. However, despite this wide array of sporting cultures some athletes prove to be particularly amazing. Throughout The Sports Gene we encountered athletes like Donald Thomas, sled dog, and to an extent basketball players. However, athletes like Dan McLaughlin, Jim Ryun, and Dominican baseball players seemed to be the product of arduous practice and their environment. Both of these factors allow devoted athletes to reach their highest potentials and represent their countries. Genetics play a major and often pivotal role in athletic excellence. Stefan Holm lived for the high jump. Holm spent much of his early life perfecting his high jumping form including dropping out of school to train. Holm’s success was great and he won the Olympic title in 2005 equaling the record of the highest high jump with 7’10.5 (Epstein 27). However, Holm’s excessive training and passion was trumped at 2007 World Championship to a competitor described as: “He still doesn’t know that a track goes around in a circle.” (Epstein 29) That competitor was Donald Thomas, who defeated Holm and was crowned the 2007 World Champion. How did this inexperienced beat a man who spent his life training? The answer is simple—genetics. Masaki Ishikawa, a scientist was intrigued by Thomas’s victory and decided to study him. Ishikawa discovered that Thomas had long legs relative to his height and an abnormally long Achilles tendon compared to average Achilles tendon of Holm. Ishikawa concluded that Thomas’s large Achilles tendon allowed for more power to be stored for jumping. Further, the strength of an Achilles tendon is largely due to an individual’s type of genes that make collagen which builds stronger ligaments and tendons (Epstein 32-33). Thus, it seems that genetics gave Thomas the edged over the well-trained Holm. However, genetics does not merely apply to the high jump. The powerful effect of genetics can be seen in sports ranging from sled dog racing to running. …show more content…
Lance Mackey dreamed on winning the famous sled dog race, the Iditarod (Epstein 226). However, Mackey did not the resources to purchase the best dogs. Instead Mackey turned to genetic manipulation to create the best dogs (Epstein 227). Mackey purchased a dog Rosie, who was slow but never wanted to stop trotting. Mackey would then breed Rosie with Doc Holliday, a dog who only wanted to run. Rosie and Doc Holliday produced Zorro, a top-notch racer (Epstein 228). Mackey continued to breed Zorro with other hard working dogs and eventually Mackey and his team won the Iditarod four times (Epstein 230). However, can genetic breeding be extended to humans? Yao Ming the 7’5 Houston Rockets basketball was the product of genetic manipulation. Ming’s parents were basketball players were brought together by the Chinese government for breeding purposes (Epstein 135). Height provides a major advantage for basketball players. Approximately 80 percent of height is attributable to genetics (Epstein 136). The average height of NBA players is 6’7” while only 5 percent of American men are 6’3” or taller (Epstein 130-131). Further, on a high school level the 2013 Knights of Lone Peak High School located in Utah dominated their competitors due to their height (Frosch 1-2).However, 20 percent of height is attributable to environment and this factor can greatly influence height (Epstein 136). The environment works together with genetics to influence height. African-Americans tend to have legs that are 2.4 inches longer than a European boy (Epstein 138). This advantage is due to the trend that people with ancestors from historically higher temperature environments have longer legs (Epstein 140). Height is also influenced by access to food. During World War I and II, European children experienced famines. These famines brought down height averages and possibly robbed history of the tallest basketball players since the genes did not proper room to grow (Epstein 137). In this sense it appears genetics is like a plant seed. If you have the seed you must water it and take care of it for it to properly grow. Without taking care of the seed it will never grow and reach its full potential. This concept illustrates the relationship with height