Got the Gene for the Pool

Here is a way to find out if your child is going to be the next Gagan Narang or Saina Nehwal?

Want to find out if your child is going to be the next Gagan Narang or Saina Nehwal? Now there is a simple way—a Sports Gene Test introduced in India by Super Religare Laboratories, which can apparently tell you if your child is better suited for power or endurance sport. Officially launched in August this year, over 3,000 children from Delhi, Bombay and Bangalore have already taken the test.

As part of this non-invasive procedure, a couple of swabs are taken from inside the cheeks of a child and tested for the presence of a gene called ACTN3. “Each ACTN3 gene instructs the body to produce speed protein Actinen A, which promotes quick contractions necessary in speed and power sports,” says a representative of the lab. He points out that everyone has two types of muscle fibre—the fast twitch and the slow twitch. Endurance athletes usually have a higher percentage of slow twitch fibres, which contract for a long time before being fatigued. Sprint athletes, on the other hand, possess fast twitch fibres that generate short bursts of speed and strength. “The test helps parents make up their minds about investing time and money to maximise their child’s sporting ability. This test has been conducted in countries like Australia since 2003,” says the representative.

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Avantika Bhuyan