Researchers embark on sports vision study

A study has been commissioned to find out whether elite sportspeople excel from the rest by virtue of exceptional vision.

It follows initial findings that showed faster responses to visual cues among first class level cricket players, compared to non-cricketers.

The Biotechnology Biological Sciences Research Council has funded a research unit led by the University of Bradford, who will compare elite players from fast-moving ball sports such as cricket, tennis, table-tennis, hockey and squash with non-players or players at a lower level.

It said the aim was to identify whether there was something exceptional in the speed and accuracy with which elite players process and respond to visual cues.