The one in-a-trillion shot at glory

Scientists from Manchester Metropolitan University have identified what they say are the 23 genetic variants that enhance athletic performance.

The research, published in The Journal of Physiology, indicates that world athletic records would improve considerably if the optimum combination of genes were found together in one athlete - but adds that the chances of any one single person possessing the perfect genetic combination are tiny.

Teams from Manchester Metropolitan and from Loughborough University calculated that the chance of any one person possessing all 23 genetic variants is one in 1,212 trillion.