<?php query_posts( \'cat=36&post_type=athletes&showposts=1&orderby=rand\'); ?>

changed to :

      <?php
$args = array( \'numberposts\' => 36,\'category\'  => \'1\',\'post_type\'  => \'athletes\', \'orderby\' => \'rand\');


$lastposts = get_posts( $args );
foreach($lastposts as $post) : setup_postdata($post); ?>
    <h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
<?php endforeach; ?>