The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on competition performances of professional orienteering athletes: An example of explanatory sequential mixed design

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to understand and reveal the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the competitive performance of professional orienteering athletes. Materials and Methods: The performance changes of the athletes were analyzed in the quantitative stage according to the results of the competition. Qualitative data from the one-on-one interview method were analyzed to understand why factors were statistically significant at the quantitative stage. By evaluating the two data sets together, the study presented the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of elite orienteering athletes with a generalizable and in-depth perspective. Results: The number of athletes participating in the competition was low, and the rate of successful completion of the competition was high during the pandemic process. The shortening of the 'second per kilometer' duration of the elite athletes participating in the competitions held during the pandemic. In the one-on-one interview discussion with the athletes, nine main themes affecting the competition performance were found; the effect of training, nutrition change, economic impact, situations affecting overall performance, the effect of changes in competitions, psychosocial impact, the effect of health problems, motivation to continue sports and forward-looking planning. Conclusion: Performance should be considered holistically, improvement achieved only through training would not be enough for success, athlete evaluation should also be based on economical and biopsychosocial aspects.