Relationship between exchange block time in swim starts and final performance in relay races in international championships

Saavedra, José M.; García-Hermoso, António; Escalante, Yolanda; Domínguez, Ana M.; Arellano, Raúl; Navarro, Fernando

doi:10.1080/02640414.2014.920099

Cited by 15 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A total of 716 relay swims, divided approximately evenly across the four relay legs, and corresponding individual event swims were analysed across 348 different swimmers (175 males and 173 females). To allow comparisons between individual and relay events, exchange block times for relay swimmers positioned on the second to fourth leg were adjusted to equal reaction times from the individual event using the methodology developed by [9] and [20].…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finishing Position Finishing place of the team in a relay final (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Classified into four categories:…”

Section: Worst Rankingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the 4 x 100-m track running relay, factors such as the preferred hand for giving and receiving a baton, athlete skills in running bends, and the lane drawn, should all be considered when selecting team order [1]. In swimming, key considerations for relay team performance include flying start technique and exchange block times [4][5][6]. As a result, much of the relay literature in swimming focuses on technical components related to the dive start, including differences between the flat start performed in individual events and the flying start performed by swimmers assigned to the second to fourth relay positions [7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predicting performance in 4 x 200-m freestyle swimming relay events

Babaei

O’Shea

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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Aim The aim was to predict and understand variations in swimmer performance between individual and relay events, and develop a predictive model for the 4x200-m swimming freestyle relay event to help inform team selection and strategy. Data and methods Race data for 716 relay finals (4 x 200-m freestyle) from 14 international competitions between 2010–2018 were analysed. Individual 200-m freestyle season best time for the same year was located for each swimmer. Linear regression and machine learning was applied to 4 x 200-m swimming freestyle relay events. Results Compared to the individual event, the lowest ranked swimmer in the team (-0.62 s, CI = [−0.94, −0.30]) and American swimmers (−0.48 s [−0.89, −0.08]) typically swam faster 200-m times in relay events. Random forest models predicted gold, silver, bronze and non-medal with 100%, up to 41%, up to 63%, and 93% sensitivity, respectively. Discussion Team finishing position was strongly associated with the differential time to the fastest team (mean decrease in Gini (MDG) when this variable was omitted = 31.3), world rankings of team members (average ranking MDG of 18.9), and the order of swimmers (MDG = 6.9). Differential times are based on the sum of individual swimmer’s season’s best times, and along with world rankings, reflect team strength. In contrast, the order of swimmers reflects strategy. This type of analysis could assist coaches and support staff in selecting swimmers and team orders for relay events to enhance the likelihood of success.

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Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finishing Position Finishing place of the team in a relay final (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Classified into four categories:…”

Section: Worst Rankingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predicting performance in 4 x 200-m freestyle swimming relay events

Babaei

O’Shea

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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“…Instead of starting immediately after the referees’ acoustic signal, in a relay race the outgoing swimmers are allowed to move earlier on the block, anticipating the timing of change-over with the incoming teammate. Indeed, change-over times are related to the relay team performances [ 1 , 2 ], although it has been acknowledged that change-over times could hinder some other key parameters such as the force production on the block [ 3 ]. From a biomechanical point of view, individual and relay starts present some spatiotemporal differences in the swimmers’ centre of mass during the aerial phase.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Starts and Turns between Individual and Relay Swimming Races

Qiu

Fuente²,

Lorenzo

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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The present study investigated swimmers’ performances on the starting and turning segments between individual and relay races. A total number of 72 race performances of the same swimmers in both relay 4 × 100 m finals (freestyle, medley, and mixed freestyle) and individual 100 m finals or semi-finals (butterfly, breaststroke, and freestyle) from the LEN European Swimming Championships were compared with repeated measures MANOVA. Swimmers performed 5–7% faster starts in the relay than in the corresponding individual events, despite no differences in the flight phase and a lower performance (shorter distances and slower velocities) on the underwater start section. The 15 m turn times were slower in the butterfly relay races although no specific differences in the underwater parameters were observed. These results suggest that specific training of the starting and turning segments should be performed under relay conditions to optimise pacing and performance in the underwater sections.

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“…According to Saavedra et al (2014), the literature suggests at least three main components for optimal exchange: strength production during the impulsion phase (West, Owen, Cunningham, Cook, & Kilduff, 2011), motor coordination between upper and lower body, and perceptual-motor ability (Gambrel, Blanke, Thigpen, & Mellion, 1991), with the latter being unequivocally acknowledged as an essential function for performing successfully (and without disqualification). Despite widespread acceptance of these performance criteria, very few studies have been carried out on relay strategies in swimming.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating time‐to‐contact with temporal occlusion in relay swimming: a pilot study

Ribeiro

Costa

Louro³

et al. 2019

European Journal of Sport Science

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The purpose of this study was to analyse swimmers' perceptual judgements of a simulated time-to-contact task in freestyle swimming relays.The study sample consisted of 31 national-level swimmers of both genders (n = 18 males, 17.22 ± 1.95 yrs.; n = 13 females, 14.61 ± .76 yrs.). Participants were asked to watch two videos corresponding to the last course of a given swimmer during a competition of 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m freestyle events. These videos were presented with temporal occlusion correspondent to predetermined approaching distances (7.5, 5.0, and 2.5 m). Participants were required to simulate a typical position in standby for exiting the block and estimate the time-to-contact of the incoming swimmer by pressing a switch. A Wilcoxon test was performed to determine differences between time-to-contact and real contact time.The results showed that estimation of time-to-contact was generally lower than real contact time at all approaching distances (with occlusion) and for both genders (p < .05), except at a 7.5-m distance in the men's 4 × 200 m (p = .744; r = .09) and at 5.0 m in both the 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m for the female group (p = .279, r = .22 for 4 × 100 m; p = .2453, r = .17 for 4 × 200 m). The larger variation (Δ) between estimation and real contact time was found at a 7.5 m occlusion distance in the female 4 × 100 m (p < .001; r = .82).Swimmers tend to underestimate the time-to-contact of the incoming swimmer, in the context of a simulated relay race. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of perceptual abilities development in swimmers to optimize their technique and effectiveness during relay starts.

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Relationship between exchange block time in swim starts and final performance in relay races in international championships

Cited by 15 publications

References 15 publications

Predicting performance in 4 x 200-m freestyle swimming relay events

Predicting performance in 4 x 200-m freestyle swimming relay events

Comparison of Starts and Turns between Individual and Relay Swimming Races

Estimating time‐to‐contact with temporal occlusion in relay swimming: a pilot study

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