Elite longitudinal talent development research in sport: A systematic review

Effective talent pathways have conventionally been orientated towards performance whilst negating to consider development-related variables (e.g., markers of injury, illness, & wellbeing) or combined performance and development-related variables. This systematic review followed a PRISMA and a meta-aggregative framework to examine both quantitative and qualitative elite longitudinal athlete performance and development literature, between 1990-2021. Overall, the literature has focused on development-related variables (60%) in a mixed male and female sample. Less focus has been placed on combined development and performance-related variables (26%); no female athletes were studied. Future elite longitudinal research needs to examine both performance and development-related variables to better understand the multifaceted nature of talent development, particularly in female athletes.