GRIT personality and sports talent in elite taekwondo athletes

Abstract

Introduction: It has been shown that GRIT is related to success in various areas of life, including sports performance. Objective: To determine the relationship between GRIT personality and sports talent in elite taekwondo athletes. Methodology: A quantitative study with a quasi-experimental observational design and a descriptive-correlational scope was conducted with elite taekwondo athletes participating in sports camps associated with the National Taekwondo Organization in the United States (USAT) during the year 2023. GRIT personality was assessed using the Grit Scale, while sports talent was determined based on the national ranking position in the USAT. Results: After conducting correlation analysis using Pearson's r test, negative relationships were identified in the core variables (-0.009, p=0.847; 0.004, p=0.928; 0.011, p=0.809); however, these relationships were not statistically significant. The athletes' GRIT scores had a median of 4.00, suggesting that this population exhibits high levels of perseverance according to the GRIT scale. Conclusion: No statistically significant relationship was found between GRIT personality and sports talent in taekwondo athletes. These results support the notion that GRIT personality may not be a strong predictor of sports talent. However, the possibility of a relationship between these two concepts cannot be completely ruled out, as evidence supporting this association has been found.