I will base my empirical findings on athletics and sports talents in general, that their drives emanate from tradition staple diet from my nutrition and vital statistics I learnt in medical college.
Excerpts statistics from academy of legends in Kenya, tabulated based in central tendency of mode, indicate that the long running distance greats; Kipchoge Keino, a medalist winner at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games and 1972 Munich Olympics, Julius Kariuki, a gold medalist winner at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Henry Rono, a gold medalist winner at 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games, Catherine Ndereba, the first African to win a marathon title at the World Championship and the first woman to win twice, 2003 and 2007. And the recent history of the likes of the late Samuel Kamau Wanjiru and Eliud Kipchoge, all were borne and brought at regions endowed with milk and green vegatables that provides calcium.
This is proven by erection of Kenya’s major three milk factories in Kenya: Kenya Co-operative Creameries [KCC], in Nyeri, Catherine Nderaba’s home county, Nyahururu, the late Wanjiru Kamau’s home county, and Eldoret, Eliud Kipchoge’s home county.
Calcium [Ca], function in the body is the formation of bone. Necessary for muscle contraction. This necessary structural requirement given time long time duration of vibration as result of persistence ground hitting endured in long distance races and especially steeplechase, here read Ezekiel Kemboi.
It’s worthy to note that, calcium is required in large amounts during infancy and early childhood when the skeleton is developing. And maybe that why Kalenjin tribe of Kenya produces long distance greats since milk is consumed religiously. But Kikuyus due to commercial interest, they are in modern times consuming milk rationally hence dwindling athletics that even the current Tokyo Japan team none from Kikuyu tribe.
An asado, Argentina’s traditional staple diet, home of current football great, Lionel Messi, consists of beef, pork, chicken and morcilla which are cooked on a grill, called a parrilla, or an open fire. A point to extract from this delicacy is that, vitamin B12 can be found naturally in animals products, such as fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products. It does not typically occur in plants foods.
The metabolism of every cell in the body depends on vitamin B-12, as it plays a part in the synthesis of fatty acids and energy production. Vitamin B-12 enables the release of energy by helping the human body absorb fulic acid. It is also vital in muscle toning, a structural vital for footballers and short distance athletes. It’s not wonder that in Kenya,s Tokyo Japan 2020 team short distance runners Mark Otieno and Ferdinand Omayaala hails from background where fish and chicken forms part of staple food.