Swimming turn performance: the distinguishing factor in 1500m World championship freestyle races?

Polach, Marek; Thiel, Dan; Kreník, Jan; Born, Dennis-Peter

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-275015/v1

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…In addition, although athletes also change their clean swimming race strategy throughout the rounds—increasing their stroke rate (SR) and decreasing their stroke length (SL)—this did not necessarily contribute to the improved race times ( 8 ). In this sense, an interesting approach could be to analyze intra-individual variations in stroke kinematics in addition to race section times, since a clean swimming strategy (a more consistent SR, while maintaining SL) contributed to a new 100 m freestyle World Record ( 10 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short-course performance variation across all race sections: How 100 and 200 m elite male swimmers progress between rounds

Cuenca-Fernández

Ruiz-Navarro

Polach

et al. 2023

Front. Sports Act. Living

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IntroductionTo investigate performance variation in all race sections, i.e., start, clean swimming, and turns, of elite short-course races for all swimming strokes and to determine the effect of performance variation on race results.MethodsComparing finalists and non-qualified swimmers, a total of 256 races of male swimmers (n = 128, age: 23.3 ± 3.1, FINA points: 876 ± 38) competing in the European short-course swimming championships were analyzed. The coefficient of variation (CV) and relative change in performance (Δ%) were used to compare intra-individual performance progression between rounds and inter-individual differences between performance levels using a linear mixed model.ResultsWhile most performance variables declined during the races (P < 0.005), performance was better maintained in 200 m compared to 100 m races, as well as in finalists compared to non-qualified swimmers. In 100 m races, Start Times improved between heats, semi-finals, and finals (P < 0.005) and contributed to the improved Split Times of Lap 1 in freestyle (P = 0.001, Δ = −1.09%), breaststroke (P < 0.001; Δ = −2.48%), and backstroke (P < 0.001; Δ = −1.72%). Swimmers increased stroke rate from heats/semi-finals to finals in freestyle (P = 0.015, Δ = 3.29%), breaststroke (P = 0.001, Δ = 6.91%), and backstroke (P = 0.005; Δ = 3.65%). Increases in stroke length and clean-swimming speed were only significant between rounds for breaststroke and backstroke (P < 0.005). In 200 m races, Total Time remained unchanged between rounds (P > 0.05), except for breaststroke (P = 0.008; CV = 0.7%; Δ = −0.59%). Start (P = 0.004; Δ = −1.72%) and Split Times (P = 0.009; Δ = −0.61%) only improved in butterfly. From the turn variables, OUT_5 m times improved towards the finals in breaststroke (P = 0.006; Δ = −1.51%) and butterfly (P = 0.016; Δ = −2.19%). No differences were observed for SR and SL, while clean-swimming speed improved between rounds in breaststroke only (P = 0.034; Δ = 0.96%).DiscussionPerformance of finalists progressed between rounds in 100 m but not 200 m races, most probably due to the absence of semi-finals. Progression in 100 m races was mainly attributed to improved Start and Split Times in Lap 1, while turn performances remained unchanged. Within round comparison showed higher performance maintenance in 200 m compared to 100 m events, which showed more pronounced positive pacing. Success of finalists was attributed to their overall higher performance level and superior progression between rounds.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%