竞

Top 立 — a person standing on the ground, the indexing radical. Filing convention: 竞 is grouped under 立 by stroke shape, though etymologically it depicts two people racing. The standing figure on top represents the first racer. Same radical groups 竞 with 站 (stand), 章 (chapter), 童 (child).

Bottom 兄 — a person with an emphasized mouth/head above legs, originally meaning 'elder' or 'one who speaks'. In 竞 the bottom figure mirrors the top, giving the compound ideograph: two people racing side by side. The original oracle-bone form showed two heads, two pairs of legs — a foot race captured graphically. Source of 竞争 (compete), 竞赛 (contest).