Disney is promoting its new movie "Secratariat", about the horse that won the Triple Crown in racing. The voiceover mentions that the horse was "one of the greatest athletes" known.

My question is, when did animals become "athletes"? The dics I've seen only say it is a person.

Consult a bigger dic.

I consulted the "biggest," Geoff, OED, and it implied the word addresses people, though the first definition is a bit vague, I suppose:

quote:

A competitor in the physical exercises{em}such as running, leaping, boxing, wrestling

A "competitor" perhaps could be an animal.