Athlete is pronounced ATH-leet (IPA /ˈæθliːt/). Only two beats — say 'ATH' then 'leet' with no 'uh' in between.
IPA: /ˈæθliːt/
Syllables: ATH · leet
In 2,854 attempts by 1,428 learners scored in the SayWhat app, the sound most often scored red in this word was /t/ (67% of attempts).
Common ESL mistake: Learners add a vowel saying 'ATH-uh-leet' with three syllables.
Tip: Only two beats — say 'ATH' then 'leet' with no 'uh' in between.