Final answer:
Alexei Puni was the Russian sport psychologist who focused on psychological preparation for athletic competition around the same time as Coleman Griffith. His work in sport psychology paralleled Griffith's efforts and explored mental preparation in competitive sports.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among Russian sport psychologists who focused on psychological preparation for athletic competition around the same time as Coleman Griffith, the name that stands out is Alexei Puni (Option 1). Puni was a pioneer in the field of sport psychology in Russia, exploring crucial aspects of an athlete's mental preparation before entering competitive sports. This work paralleled the efforts of American psychologist Coleman Griffith, often considered the 'father of American sport psychology,' who established the first American laboratory dedicated to the psychological study of sport at the University of Illinois in 1925.
Sport and exercise psychology is a dynamic field that looks into not just the psychological factors contributing to athletic performance, such as motivation and performance anxiety, but also the overall mental and emotional wellbeing influenced by sport and physical exercise. This domain extends to exploring how psychological principles apply to physically and mentally demanding professions beyond sports.