Editing Altitude (section)

====Athletes====
For athletes, high altitude produces two contradictory effects on performance. For explosive events (sprints up to 400 metres, [[long jump]], [[triple jump]]) the reduction in atmospheric pressure signifies less atmospheric resistance, which generally results in improved athletic performance.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ward-Smith|year=1983|title=The influence of aerodynamic and biomechanical factors on long jump performance|journal=Journal of Biomechanics|volume=16|pages=655–658|doi=10.1016/0021-9290(83)90116-1|pmid=6643537|first1=AJ|issue=8}}</ref> For endurance events (races of 5,000 metres or more) the predominant effect is the reduction in oxygen which generally reduces the athlete's performance at high altitude. Sports organizations acknowledge the effects of altitude on performance: the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF), for example, marks record performances achieved at an altitude greater than {{convert|1000|m|ft}} with the letter "A".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.net/mm/Document/06/32/50/63250_PDF_English.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022135302/http://www.iaaf.net/mm/Document/06/32/50/63250_PDF_English.pdf |archive-date=22 October 2013 |title=IAAF World Indoor Lists 2012 |date=9 March 2012 |url-status=usurped |publisher=IAAF Statistics Office   }}</ref>

Athletes also can take advantage of altitude acclimatization to increase their performance. The same changes that help the body cope with high altitude increase performance back at sea level.<ref name="pmid16497842">{{cite journal |last1=Wehrlin|first1=JP|last2=Zuest|first2=P|last3=Hallén|first3=J|last4=Marti|first4=B |title=Live high—train low for 24 days increases hemoglobin mass and red cell volume in elite endurance athletes |journal=J. Appl. Physiol. |volume=100 |issue=6 |pages=1938–45 |date=June 2006 |pmid=16497842 |doi=10.1152/japplphysiol.01284.2005 }}</ref><ref name="pmid17805094">{{cite journal |last1=Gore|first1=CJ|last2=Clark|first2=SA|last3=Saunders|first3=PU |title=Nonhematological mechanisms of improved sea-level performance after hypoxic exposure |journal=Med Sci Sports Exerc |volume=39 |issue=9 |pages=1600–9 |date=September 2007 |pmid=17805094 |doi=10.1249/mss.0b013e3180de49d3 |doi-access=free }}</ref> These changes are the basis of [[altitude training]] which forms an integral part of the training of athletes in a number of endurance sports including track and field, distance running, triathlon, cycling and swimming.