At almost forty years old, they are still part of the elite of world sport. But what still keeps LeBron James, Fernando Alonso, Novak Djokovic or Mélina Robert-Michon moving forward at an age when many top athletes have already retired?
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The American LeBron James will celebrate his fortieth birthday on Monday December 30 and remains at a stratospheric level with the Lakers. “ LeBron James, he is extraordinary. He’s still dominant because he was ultra-dominant », Explains to AFP Adrien Sedeaud, researcher in sports sciences at Insep.
As with the average person, the physical performance curve of high-level athletes progresses to a peak and then goes back down depending on age. But the shape of this curve is not the same depending on the disciplines.
“ At 25 years ago, they were monstrous »
For those who stay on top after their thirties, “ if we trace their individual curve, at 25 years old, they were monstrous », underlines the researcher. A bit like gym superstar Simone Biles, who challenged space again this summer at the Paris Olympics by winning three gold medals at the age of 27. A hell of a performance in a discipline where people in their early twenties often reign. “ She has such an exceptional level that she can continue », Estimates the Insep specialist.
In tennis, the American Serena Williams played until she was forty, the Swiss Roger Federer played his last singles tournament at almost forty at Wimbledon. At 45, Mélina Robert-Michon, the standard bearer of the French team for the Paris Olympics, participated this summer in her 7th Olympic discus throwing final. And despite a disappointing 12th place, this mother of two assured that she wanted to continue her career. Her route inevitably brings to mind the French cyclist Jeannie Longo, time trial world champion in 2001 at the age of 43 and with an impressive track record.
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Author of the book Master athlete, train and perform after 40 years, 50 years and overRomuald Lepers, researcher at the University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, also explains that “ athletes who have a long career at a constant level are exceptions “. He also notes that “ game experience » of an athlete, in a team sport for example, and who can accumulate more than 25 years of practice at the age of 40, also counts in the equation.
At 43, Spanish driver Fernando Alonso has 400 Formula 1 Grand Prix starts. We are no longer simply on physical components », notes Adrien Sedeaud, but also on “ the experience “, ” the ability to have competed on multiple occasions “, ” knowledge of circuits (…) “. There is also “ all the new methods in terms of recovery, care » which allow « marginal gains » but can do “ last a few years longer than 10-20 years ago years », analyzes Romuald Lepers.
Hot baths, cold baths, cryotherapy, individualized physiotherapy monitoring, modulation of training loads, use of data to optimize recovery after injury: all these methods provide a plus. Some, like Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, have their personalized recipes like gluten elimination and meditation, among others. At 37, he became Olympic champion this summer and is still in 7th place in the ATP rankings. LeBron James also has a strict lifestyle: “ We don’t find him in nightclubs after victories ! », underlines Adrien Sedeaud.
If you need exceptional qualities to stay at a high level for a long time, you also need to avoid injuries. “ The sooner an athlete gets injured, the more they will unfortunately jeopardize their chances of a very long career. », Explains the Insep researcher. At 38 years old, and after a litany of injuries over two decades, the Spaniard Rafael Nadal has just put away his racket.