Research background and hypothesis. Modern research on the molecular genetics of physical activity shows that increased physical performance is determined by a set of specific genes. However, the systematic genetic studies of high performance athletes for selection and training purposes do not exist to our knowledge and there are no studies for specific sports, which could have made the specialization choices easier. Research aim was to analyse important genetic variations that may underlie differences in the potential to be an elite athlete of power-oriented events of track and field athletics. Research methods. In total, DNA of 73 athletes involved in power-oriented events of track and field athletics and 283 persons not involved in sports (sedentary control) were examined. In this paper, we consider ten candidate-genes and carry out statistical analysis to determine their most favorable polymorphism for power-oriented events of track and field athletics. Using the polymerase chain reaction method genes polymorphisms were detected in athletes of different abilities. Research results. The significance of differences between group of power-oriented events of track and field athletics and the control group on the distribution of allele NO-synthase gene polymorphism and distribution of genotype of metalloproteinase 2 gene polymorphism was found. The frequency of T allele T-786-C polymorphism eNOS prevails in the group of athletes by 11.5% (p = 0.02). The frequency of T/T genotype C-1306T (MMP2) is 11.8% (p = 0.003) higher than in the control group. The athletes specializing in different events are characterized by genetic heterogeneity. Favorable alleles for high athletic performance in power-oriented events of athletics were established. Discussion and conclusions. Sports genetics can be used to design better selection and training processes in order to allow athletes to achieve their full potential. Our study provides evidence for the association between gene polymorphisms and elite power athlete status. However, athletes belonging to the same group of sports differ in the distribution of genotypes and allele of gene that associate with elite performance. Only after detection of favorable genotype combination for the particular sport potential of genetic testing in sport will be increased.
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