'Talent is not the only defining factor in sports'

Dr Joe Baker is the Tannenbaum Researcher in Sports Science, Data Modelling, and Sports Analytics at the University of Toronto, Canada.

His research considers the varying influences on optimum human development, ranging from issues affecting athlete development and skill equations to barriers and facilitators of successful ageing.

Joe is the author, and editor of 13 books and hundreds of scientific articles and book chapters.

During a talk show with Sports Champ editor-in-chief Bhushan Thakur, he spoke about various topics. Excerpts:

How did you get into sports? Did you play as a child or develop a love for any particular sport?

Interestingly, I got into sports quite late-well into my teenage years. Growing up in Canada, I played many sports, but not the traditional ones associated with the country. I couldn't skate, didn't ski, and didn't play ice hockey. Instead, my first real foray into sports was through martial arts, which sparked my initial interest.

Later, I discovered triathlons, and that became a defining chapter of my life. For over a decade, I competed as a highlevel triathlete, participating in events of various distances around the world. It was through these experiences that I truly fell in love with sports.

Even now, I still swim, cycle, and run-although I don't compete as much as I once did. Most of my time is now dedicated to research, and exploring the secrets of athlete performance. In a way, sports have never left my life since I embraced them as a teenager.

What was it like discovering sports at a later stage?

Looking back, starting later might have been a blessing in disguise. Finding something as an adolescent feels fresh and transformative in ways that may not happen when introduced as a child. For me, sports became a catalyst for change.