Think of genetic testing in sports and the likelihood is your mind will turn to recent high-profile stories around gender eligibility.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won gold at the Paris Olympics last year, was recently told she is no longer able to compete in female categories without a sex test, while South African middle-distance runner Caster Semenya has been at the centre of a long-running dispute involving levels of testosterone and “differences of sex development”.

But those cases are dominating what should be a far-wider conversation of what genetic analysis can provide to elite performers, coaches and aspiring athletes.

With a simple swab test, athletes of any age and at any level can take advantage of a raft of genetic data to help them analyse their predisposition to certain types of training and sports.

Carika Weldon, the founder of CariGenetics, recently announced the sponsorship of Bermudian Olympic athlete Jah-Nhai Perinchief and, while the move to pay the triple jumper’s medical insurance rightly made a huge impact, he will also receive the benefits of genetic analysis.

In the rarefied air of elite sport where everyone is searching for marginal gains, Weldon will provide Perinchief and his coaches with information that encompasses everything from sleep to injury recovery. The scientist believes this could be the next step in improving athletic performance.

“These types of test could allow us as a country to level up and stop our athletes from having to guess,” Weldon said.

“The fitness DNA test is relatively new and is something we want to offer not just to athletes but to everyone.

“When you say ‘genetics’ to the average person in Bermuda, they think of paternity tests, ancestry tests or cancer tests, but there is so much more to what your DNA can tell you than who your daddy is or if you have a cancer risk.

“DNA is a manual for how you operate. Every aspect of how your body functions is in your manual. So when it comes to what is the optimum exercise type your body should have, whether it be endurance or strength, it is in your manual. When it comes to how your body processes aerobic exercise, it is in your manual.”

Perinchief is awaiting the results of his Fitness DNA test, and the information contained in the 40-page report he will receive could prove invaluable in providing insight that leads to tweaks in his nutrition and training regime.

“It’s not like Jah-Nhai has less talent than any of his competitors, but they may have more support,” Weldon said.

“Now with these insights Jah-Nhai will know exactly what is under the hood and he can optimise his training, his nutrition and his recovery to up his game.

“The recovery section has proved a big hit with athletes, and the data covers your injury risk, optimum recovery time, inflammation markers — all key pieces of information. But we don’t just give you the information and leave you with it.

“We give you all the data and it’s 40 pages long. But the reason it is so long is that we go through the science, what it means and give you the references and links to the science so you can check it out for yourself. It’s about empowering athletes to know their bodies and how to work out in their daily routine.”

While elite athletes have already chosen their sporting path, the test could help talented teenagers identify the sport that most reflects their genetic profile and help them to make the choice of speciality.

“Your DNA is the cards you are dealt with, but the way you play those cards is up to you — and that is what this is about,” Weldon said.

“Everybody is very different and it is now pretty much recognised in medicine that the one-size-fits-all approach does not work.

“You can tailor medical treatment to the individual and this testing will lead to all of us, and particularly sportspeople, doing the same for lifestyle and physical activity.”

But while your DNA profile may help inform decisions, it is also important to ensure that it does not define you. Weldon has learnt from elite athletes who have taken the test — such as cyclist Caitlin Conyers and tennis player Gavin Manders — that it cannot be used in isolation.

“Caitlin Conyers had this test and said, ‘I definitely didn’t get this sport from my parents’.” Weldon said.

“The results may not have shown her that she should have gone into cycling, but it means that her intense dedication helped her to perhaps overcome the physical challenges that showed up in her DNA.

“The opposite is true for Gavin Manders. He’s from a very sporty family and that was reflected in the genetics. So as a parent, it is useful to see what your child may genetically be expected to be good at, but that does not mean that they shouldn’t try other things because they may still love it and find something they are passionate about.”

Weldon has held preliminary talks with a number of national sports governing bodies and is hoping to bring on board some sponsors in the hope that as many of Bermuda’s athletes as possible can benefit from the test.

“We have had conversations with the Bermuda Football Association and the Bermuda Cricket Board,” Weldon said.

“A lot of our national team players have full-time jobs and this could really help them be more efficient. If there are any corporations who want to sponsor athletes and teams to take the test, we are willing partners and will be happy to talk to them.”

• For more information on the Fitness DNA Test and an example of a genetic testing report, visit the CariGenetics website atcarigenetics.com