Areal Distribution of the Number and Intensity of Steps in Won and Lost Badminton Rallies

Abstract

Badminton is an Olympic sports branch requiring high performance. This study is conducted in order for revealing how the number of steps of badminton athletes is distributed in front, middle and back courts in each rally, and the role that the number of steps plays in terms of winning or losing the competition. The sample group of the study comprises of 8 single-male and 8 single-female matches in European Junior 19 Championship organized in Turkey in 2013. 56,619 steps in total in 1203 rallies were examined within the scope of the study. Badminton court was divided into three main parts as front, middle, and backcourts, and all steps were classified and counted according to these three parts. Field length and width of each part is 2.23 m x 5.18 m, and the total of each part was determined as 11.91 m2. Image recording for this study is accomplished by using two Panasonic SDR-H20 cameras. Percentage, arithmetic average, standard deviations were used in the analysis of data, and Mann Whitney U test was used as a non-parametric test for the significance test of the difference between two averages. It was revealed in the study that there is a significant gender difference in the number of steps taken on the front and middle courts (z=, 034, P 0.05, z =, 153, P>0.05). When the areal distribution of a number of steps in each won and lost rallies is examined, it is revealed that no significant difference exists in terms of the number of steps (z =, 188 P> 0.05). Consequently, it is determined that the total number of steps taken in each rally by athletes in international organizations is approximate in terms of won and lost rallies, and front and middle court usage were significantly different between male and female athletes.