Sports talent identification in zimbabwe: a comparative study

Abstract

The implementation of talent selection systems in Zimbabwe is complicated by the lack of qualified personnel, the high cost of tests, equipment and because the majority of the population is rural. This article makes a preliminary analysis with the first data collected in the Sport Talent Identification Project in Zimbabwe. The objective was to compare the statistical norms used to identify sports talent in Zimbabwe and Mexico. Theoretical and empirical scientific methods were used. The physical tests applied were: height, push-ups, sit-ups, long jump without running, speed and resistance. The values ​​used in comparison are those of the 90th and 97th percentiles because they are the ones used to identify sports talents. Percentage significance was determined using the critical values ​​of the sign test. In the comparison, the sample of the African country achieves outstanding results in most of the indicators analyzed. With these preliminary results, it cannot be established that the population of Zimbabwe has significant physical possibilities for practicing sports. However, it can be inferred that many of the children evaluated so far could be considered potential sports talents if they lived in Mexico.