Athlete

How it is used

Used for professionals and serious amateurs in any sport: elite athletes, student athletes, endurance athletes. In the US, athlete covers footballers, swimmers and gymnasts alike; in the UK it more often suggests running, jumping and throwing.

Example sentences

1. We work with athletes from twelve different sports at the performance centre.

2. Elite athletes often train twice a day.

Common collocations

• elite athlete
• professional athlete
• student athlete
• endurance athlete
• Olympic athlete

Related terms

• coachA person who trains athletes or a team, plans their practice, teaches technique and tactics and often makes decisions during competition.
• teammateA person who plays or competes in the same team as you, sharing training, matches and the team's results.
• track and fieldThe group of sports that includes running races, jumping and throwing events, held on a running track and the field inside it.
• enduranceThe ability to keep up physical effort for a long time without tiring, important in sports like running, cycling, swimming and rowing.

More terms: Coaching & Teams

• personal trainer
• substitute
• drill
• tactics
• game plan
• captain
• pep talk