Just reading some of the replies in another thread got me thinking about what is an "athlete".

I've taken part in sport nearly all my life since a teenager, playing several times a week until my late 50s for competitive teams in squash, tennis, badminton, football, rugby and basketball, and as a teenager rode in a cycling club. I was good enough to hold down a place in the teams but was never the star of any of the teams and I've never considered myself as an athlete, just as someone who works for a living but also loves sport and competing and whose life has been greatly enriched by it.

What is the dividing line between an athlete and someone who just loves taking part in sport? Is there one?