Still in contention (5)
I believe the answer is:
alive
'still in contention' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for alive that I've seen before include "full of vitality" , "Go or walk briskly" , "Breathing, existing" , "Not yet pushing up the daisies" , "Alert, active" .)