but I don't think my definition is the end all, "trust the science" ironclad, irrefutable definition, but I think it works:

I measure the best athletes by the physical and technical difficulty of the main tasks their sport requires. IOW, the greater the nexus between those two points, the greater the athlete they are, so informally, golfers would be low on the scale. Gymnasts would be at the top, followed probably by dancers. Football and basketball are probably right after.