Introduction: Due to the relationship between early identification of physical and anthropometric characteristics above the population mean in children and adolescents, and success in sports, detecting potential sports talents should be broadly and systematically used as a strategy for the early identification of physical characteristics favorable to the sport in question. However, most studies do not use representative samples, or else they present talent detection without using valid

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... sing valid scientific methods. This retrospective, comparative study therefore presents the identification of potential sports talents using the Z Strategy, calculated with anthropometric, neuromotor and physical fitness data. Objective: To identify physical abilities and anthropometric values above what are considered the normal ranges in a population of students in the 8th year of basic education, in Chile. Methods: The sample consisted of 9,429 students from public and private schools (50.9% boys). Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2013. Physical fitness and anthropometric data were recompiled through the Educational Quality Measurement System (Sistema de Medición de la Calidad de Educación – SIMCE) of physical education. The "Z Strategy" was used to detect sports talents by identifying values above the population mean. Results: In at least one variable, a total of 619 male and 623 female students with a standard deviation ≥2 (Z2) were detected. Conclusion: "Z Strategy" was able to detect sports talents of both sexes and of different ages. Level of evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.