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For avoidance of doubt, I think all people are fundamentally the same and the only thing different is the colour of their skin.

However, I've noticed that:

  • All the recent 100m Olympic and World champions have had Afro-Caribbean ancestry
  • A lot of distance races have been won by Kenyans in recent years.

Is there reputable scientific evidence that indicates a physiological difference between the different races which impacts on their sporting ability, or is the difference down to cultural factors?

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    Moderator note: this question obviously touches on a topic which needs sensitivity, but I think it's fundamentally an interesting and valid question. I've edited the question to focus on what scientific evidence exists; please try and ensure any statements you make are supported by references and double-check your post for any unintentional inferences before posting. I hope it goes without saying that the Sports SE moderation team will not hesitate to take action if any posts violate the Code of Conduct, in letter or in spirit. – Philip Kendall♦ Mar 21 at 22:59
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    Although it is probably not going to give you a complete answer, the Wikipedia article Race and sports and some of the references given there might possibly be useful. – Martin Mar 22 at 4:20
  • npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/11/04/361403249/… – pacoverflow Mar 22 at 15:04
  • For the sports you mention, I think it's fair to say that some physiognomic traits favor specific sports. Western African peoples (and therfore Afro-Americans), seem to be able to accumulate more muscles compared to Europeans or East Asians. Regarding East Africa, there's also an economic factor. If you're talented, long-distance running is one way out of poverty, while you actually have to give up money if you decide to become a pro long-distance runner in, say, Europe, compared to go to college. – E. Sommer Mar 23 at 20:14
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    @E.Sommer If you have references to support all that, it would make a great answer to this question. – Philip Kendall♦ Mar 24 at 18:35

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