Author(s): FAUDE, O., DONATH, L., FORSTER, S., HECKSTEDEN, A., HELD, S., LICHTENSTEIN, E., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF BASEL, Country: SWITZERLAND, Abstract-ID: 1430

INTRODUCTION:
World-class athletes are rarely represented in conventional group-based research, which often fails to capture the individual and longitudinal adaptations characteristic of elite sport. Case studies provide unique access to extreme levels of human performance and allow detailed examination of performance-relevant physical characteristics in ecologically valid settings. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review and analyze performance-relevant insights from case studies of world-class athletes.
METHODS:
We conducted a rapid systematic review in accordance with current methodological guidelines. PubMed was systematically searched for case reports, case studies, or longitudinal monitoring studies in elite sport. Eligible studies reported individual-level data from world-class athletes, which we defined as medal winners at Olympic Games or World Championships. Studies were required to report performance-relevant physical outcomes, including anthropometric, physiological, biomechanical, energetic, performance testing, or training-related data. Reports focusing on pathological conditions (eg, injury, illness, overtraining recovery) or exclusively psychological or nutritional interventions were excluded. Data extraction focused on athlete characteristics, monitoring duration, outcome domains, and the type of insights reported. Results were synthesized narratively.
RESULTS:
We identified 34 articles published between 1998 and 2025, with 59% published since 2020. The studies reported individual-level data from 40 world-class athletes (30% women), collectively accounting for nearly 390 Olympic or World Championship medals (51% gold). The included athletes represent around 4 decades of elite sport, with careers spanning from the mid-1980s to the present. The majority of athletes originated from Europe (n = 34), of whom 30% were from Norway. Endurance-dominated sports were strongly overrepresented (33 athletes), particularly cycling (n=8), cross-country skiing (n=7), triathlon (n=6), and rowing (n=5), with few case studies from anaerobic-, power- or skill-based sports (fencing, handball, 400m, shot put, discus throw, sailing). Performance test data and anthropometric characteristics were each reported in 28 studies, followed by training log data or training interventions (n=21), competition performance data (n=13), energetics or metabolic measures (n=6), and qualitative interviews (n=4).
CONCLUSION:
Case studies of world-class athletes predominantly focus on endurance sports and emphasize longitudinal monitoring of performance testing, training characteristics, and competition outcomes. Despite their heterogeneity, these studies provide rare and practice-relevant insights into extreme human performance that are not accessible through group-based designs. When rigorously conducted and cautiously interpreted, case studies represent a valuable and underutilized evidence source in applied sport science.