However, sports can differ in what they are in need of when it comes to traits and skills, and like you pointed out, many would negligently exclude that intelligence can also be a factor.
Take American Football - the running back and wide receiver position will ask for almost exclusively physical traits. Players like DK Metcalf fits his position so well almost solely based on his physical performance and players in these positions are predominately Black. However, the Quarterback asks less of the physical and more on decision making, and players in these positions are predominately White.
I believe it to be a mixture of both, although physicality and athleticism takes a lion share of what factors are needed to be successful in sports, whereas intelligence is required in selected sports.
As you mentioned, Michael Phelps has an physical anomaly where he has the legs of someone with a height of 5'10 and the torso of someone who is 6'7, which is what propelled him to become to greatest - but to your point, swimming does not ask much for the mental. Maybe reaction time for starts, and strategies for 400im and anything longer than 400m freestyle, but doesn't ask for much compared to other sports out there.
Take American Football - the running back and wide receiver position will ask for almost exclusively physical traits. Players like DK Metcalf fits his position so well almost solely based on his physical performance and players in these positions are predominately Black. However, the Quarterback asks less of the physical and more on decision making, and players in these positions are predominately White.
I believe it to be a mixture of both, although physicality and athleticism takes a lion share of what factors are needed to be successful in sports, whereas intelligence is required in selected sports.
As you mentioned, Michael Phelps has an physical anomaly where he has the legs of someone with a height of 5'10 and the torso of someone who is 6'7, which is what propelled him to become to greatest - but to your point, swimming does not ask much for the mental. Maybe reaction time for starts, and strategies for 400im and anything longer than 400m freestyle, but doesn't ask for much compared to other sports out there.