Variation in competition performance, number of races, and age: Long-term athlete development in elite female swimmers

Abstract

While talent development and the contributing factors to success are hardly discussed among the experts in the field, the aim of the study was to investigate annual variation in competition performance (AVCP), number of races per year, and age, as potential success factors for international swimming competitions. Data from 40’277 long-course races, performed by all individual female starters (n = 253) at the 2018 European Swimming Championships (2018EC) for all 10 years prior to these championships, were analyzed. Relationships between 2018EC ranking and potential success factors, i.e., AVCP, number of races per year, and age, were determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis. While AVCP was not related to ranking, higher ranked swimmers at the 2018EC swam more races during each of the ten years prior to the championships (P < 0.001). Additionally, older athletes were more successful (r = -0.42, P < 0.001). The regression model explained highly significant proportions (P < 0.001) and 43%, 34%, 35%, 49% of total variance in the 2018EC ranking for 50m, 100m, 200m, and 400m races, respectively. As number of races per year (β = -0.29 –-0.40) had a significant effect on ranking of 50-400m races, and age (β = -0.40 –-0.61) showed a significant effect on ranking over all race distances, number of races per year and age may serve as success factors for international swimming competitions. The larger number of races swum by higher ranked female swimmers may have aided long-term athlete development regarding technical, physiological, and mental skill acquisitions. As older athletes were more successful, female swimmers under the age of peak performance, who did not reach semi-finals or finals, may increase their chances of success in following championships with increased experience.

An Analysis of Participation and Performance of 2067 100-km Ultra-Marathons Worldwide

“…Therefore, master athletes seem to be able to maintain their physical performance with advancing age due to ultra-endurance sports [37]. Similar effects were shown at international swimming competitions, where the number of races per year and age proved to be a success factor [38].…”

Career factors related to winning Olympic medals in swimming

“…However, other work has shown that early pre-pubertal success (before age 12) was only weakly associated with success at the highest world-level [ 33 ]. Participation in numerous junior competitions and within-sport diversification in swimming are explanatory factors for achieving athletic excellence at the senior level [ 34 – 36 ]. It further appears that years of high-level competition have a positive impact in achieving better positions during the senior WC [ 35 ].…”

Key Performance Indicators Related to Strength, Endurance, Flexibility, Anthropometrics, and Swimming Performance for Competitive Aquatic Lifesaving

“…Block and 50 m split times were measured with an electronical timing system (Quantum Aquatics, Swiss Timing LTD, Corgémont, Switzerland). The 50 m swimming test with fins began with an official on-block competition start [ 21 ] and no limits to the length of the subsequent underwater phase [ 7 ]. At the 15 m and 25 m mark, cameras (CX550, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) collected 50 Hz video footages at a right angle to the swimming lane to determine 15 m and 25 m split times.…”