Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accurate anthropometric data provides insight into comprehending morphological optimisation in sports. This study aims to determine the probability that a randomly selected individual from the general reference population falls within the sports-specific population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 18,462 children and adolescents (9-14 years) from the Huila department (general population, n = 17,895) and the Neiva City Sports Schools representing athletes in team sports (sport-specific population, n = 567). Body size attributes (weight and height) were considered, and the bivariate overlap zone (BOZ) was calculated. A valid and noninvasive method was adopted to estimate the maturity offset and, complementarily, the age at peak height velocity. RESULTS: (i) BOZ results demonstrate body size is relatively more important at younger ages compared to adolescent years in both girls and boys across all sports; (ii) differences in BOZ values are clear across different sports; (iii) basketball consistently showed higher BOZ scores in both genders indicating a relatively greater opportunity for selection in this sport based on body size alone; and (iv) BOZ values tend to be substantially lower for boys when compared to girls, particularly in the older age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested (i) more competition for sports selection among boys, likely too much selection emphasis on body size among the youngest children, and (ii) reduced competition for sports selection among young adolescents, particularly girls.