Bobphilo -

I looked at the original paper briefly (principally the abstract and some of the figures), but reading it with any care would require more time than I have these days. Given the role of mitochondria in the cell, the idea that mtDNA inherited through the female line would be important to athletic performance seems unsurprising. Some of the other claims in the journalist's summary strike me as a little more farfetched.

Have you read the original paper? Do the statistical techniques they used seem appropriate? Does the journalist's summary seem to reflect the paper or claims the authors may have made in interviews that weren't subject to peer review.