In the winter when it's cold, that's the time when you know whether you've got the character or the heart and determination to get the best out of yourself. Black athletes hold the world records in all seven major sprint events, including the two team relays. Kenyans won gold, silver and bronze medals in the 3,000m at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In 1886 Arthur Wharton, a Ghanaian who settled in the north of England, became the first man to run 100 yards in 10 seconds in the Amateur Athletic Association Championships. Underneath black skin there is more muscle and less fat.
White athletes have a greater proportion of fat and less muscle.
Research carried out by experts at the Copenhagen Institute of Sports Science on Kenyans from the Kalenjin tribe of the Great Rift Valley, shows distinct genetic characteristics which help them store oxygen in the body and reduce fatigue. This would enable them to cope with hot conditions at high altitude. As a result, the Kalenjin who took part in the trials posted faster running times over 800m than Europeans at the same fitness level.