Choking during a competition is a term used to a describe a suboptimal performance by an athlete that is less than s/he is capable. Several factors (emotional, cognitive, attentional, situational) may interact to create a clutch performance. An athlete who chokes frequently may give up the sport due to frustration or embarrassment.
Antonymn: clutch (a superlative performance under pressure)
Synonym: falling apart
Key factors that may contribute to choking during a competition:
(1) anxiety
(2) self-consciousness
(3) experiencing a high level of pressure
Additional factors that may act as triggers:
(1) physical illness (prior to the competition)
(2) physical injury
(3) ability to respond automatically to a situation (ability to respond without thinking, based on training or experience)
(4) medications
(5) adverse environmental conditions
(6) emotional factors in the athlete's life
(7) fatigue
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