Anthropometric Characteristics, Somatotype and Body Composition: Differences between Cuban and Mexican Olympic and Non-Olympic Track and Field Athletes

The study of body composition and somatotype in Olympic athletes is essential for understanding their performance and providing reference models that help sports professionals optimize nutritional and training strategies aimed at reaching a high level of athletic performance. This study aimed to compare the anthropometric characteristics of Olympic and non-Olympic athletes from various athletics disciplines. A total of 131 international athletes from Cuba and Mexico (57 Cubans and 74 Mexicans), including 79 Olympians, were evaluated using 43 anthropometric variables according to the standards of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). The results showed significant differences in bone mass (BM) between Olympic and non-Olympic athletes (U = 354.0, p = 0.02), with Olympic athletes presenting higher values. No significant differences were found in muscle mass and body fat percentage (p > 0.05), although Olympic athletes tended to show higher values in muscle mass, without reaching statistical significance. The chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between sex and Olympic status (χ² = 5.18, p = 0.023), with women being more likely to be Olympians (OR = 2.33, 95 % CI: 1.12, 4.87). These findings highlight the importance of anthropometric characteristics in sports performance and how they vary according to competitive category, sex, and athletic level.