An athlete is someone who practices athletics.
The Greek word athlētḗs came to Latin as athlēta , which in turn came to our language as athlete . The first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to the man who, in ancient times, participated in public competitions .
Those first athletes trained to take part in physical tests that rewarded the winners. In any case, musicians and poets who competed in different competitions were also called athletes.
ancient athletes
The figure of the athlete already appears in Greek mythology. According to myth , Lycaon created the games where athletes competed in the region of Arcadia .
The athletes ate a special diet and prepared in wrestling schools known as palestras . After passing various stages and agreeing to respect certain rules , they could compete in the Olympic Games .
In addition to public recognition, the winning athletes received different rewards. Animals , weapons, silver and bronze objects and even slaves were some of the possible prizes.
The concept today
Today the notion of athlete has several uses. In the strictest sense, an athlete is someone who practices athletics .
Athletics , in turn, is called the set of sports disciplines that include throwing, jumping and speed tests . A sprinter, a man who competes in pole vault, and a woman dedicated to hammer throwing are athletes.
There are multiple championships and tournaments where athletes compete. However, the most well-known event worldwide is the Olympic Games .
Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt, Sergei Bubka, Javier Sotomayor, Yelena Isinbayeva, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Caterine Ibarguen y Jackie Joyner-Kersee están entre los principales references históricos del atletismo.
Any professional athlete can be mentioned as an athlete.
The athlete as an athlete
Any professional athlete can also be mentioned as an athlete, regardless of the discipline they practice. This is associated with another meaning of the concept: the subject with good physical preparation is named as an athlete.
It can be said that basketball player LeBron James , soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo , tennis player Rafael Nadal and boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. are athletes. They all have in common that they train their bodies and participate in competitions.
On the other hand, it is often stated that an individual who stays in shape and engages in regular physical activity is an athlete. In this case, the athlete may not compete. For example : “I was always an athlete, I really like to go running,” “My grandfather is an athlete, he walks five kilometers a day,” “I don't pretend you are an athlete, but at least take care of yourself a little with your meals.”
A fungal infection
The idea of athlete's foot refers to an infection caused by fungi in the feet. Fungus usually develops on the sole and edges of the foot and in the spaces between the toes.
The name is related to the fact that the humidity of the foot produced by sweat and the use of closed shoes favor the emergence and persistence of the infection. Furthermore, on surfaces such as showers and swimming pools, the fungus can remain for a long time, facilitating infection.