An individual's goal perspective is held to be the motivational focus of their actions within the sporting context. Goal orientations and perceived ability interact and influence sporting achievement behaviours in both negative and positive ways. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of task and ego orientation held by athletes, as well as their perceptions of their sport-specific ability, and to look at the influence of these factors on one specific aspect of achievement behaviour, namely affective reactions to sporting performance. Participants were 152 male and female athletes from a range of competitive levels, most of whom cited running as their main sport. Questionnaires completed by participants included the Perception of Success Questionnaire (Roberts & Balague, 1992) which measures Task and Ego Orientation in Sport, a Perceived Ability measure, and an Affective Reactions Questionnaire, which assessed emotional reactions to both successful and unsuccessful performances. Results showed that athletes at all levels were high in task orientation and that levels of ego orientation and perceived ability increased with competitive level. Ego orientation related to the highest level at which an athlete had competed, whereas perceived ability related to the level at which they were currently competing. There was a lack of gender differences which was inconsistent with the findings of previous research carried out in the United States. This finding is discussed in relation to the type of sporting background from which the majority of participants came. In terms of affective reactions, ego orientation positively related to feeling angry, ashamed and irritable following failure, and task orientation to dissatisfaction and determination. Perceived ability positively related to overall positive affect levels after experiencing failure. Results are discussed in relation to the effect an athlete's goal orientation perspective has on achievement striving and behaviour, both adaptive and maladaptive, within the sporting context. It is concluded that a task-oriented goal perspective, and a strong belief in sporting ability, should be actively promoted in sportspeople, due to the association that has been found between ego orientation and aggression, anxiety and drug-abuse in sport.