Abstract
This paper attempts to explain, using a multi-case study approach, why some young elite athletes, who have shown extraordinary talent in childhood, leave competitive sport in adolescence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five young elite athletes who decided to withdraw from elite sport.
Interview data were analyzed using the interpretive phenomenological framework developed by Smith and Osborne (2008). A paradoxical relationship was found between success during childhood and continuous participation in competitive sports.
Those who showed early extraordinary talent in sport tended to prematurely withdraw from the sport during adolescence. However, participants who mentioned early difficulties tended to show greater adherence to and remained active in the sport, even after concluding their competitive careers.