Older athletes (older like in the mid-late 20s or even 30s) will be stronger, faster, more disciplined, more experienced, than their 14-16 year equivalents. Is it just flexibility? There are circus contortionists and yoga enthusiasts that are incredibly flexible into their 30s or later.
I can’t think of any trait unique to gymnastics that other sports don’t also require to explain why gymnasts are so dang young, particularly the women’s. Men’s gymnastics seems to have a much older average age.
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I don’t know that athletes in their late twenties and thirties *are* stronger and faster. I’ve really only ever known age to be an advantage in sports where overall size is an advantage, like football. Younger people are more flexible, have more stamina, and have less fear. When I was younger and smaller, I also had beastly strength proportional to my size, at least in my lower body, and it never occurred to me not to jump and climb on things.
In gymnastics specifically, small size is also a bonus. Teenagers are smaller than adults.
It may be that gymnastics is a sport that’s very hard to stay in competitively until you’re 30, while you can stay in other sports for longer.
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