Differences in Swimming Speed between Short and Long Course from 50 m to 1,500 m in Elite Female and Male Swiss Freestyle Age Group Swimmers

Abstract

This study intended (i) to compare the differences in swimming speed between short course and long course and (ii) to investigate differences in swimming speed between age groups in freestyle swimmers competing at national level (Switzerland). Age and swimming speed of 45,888 athletes (22,216 women and 23,672 men) on short course and 46,308 athletes (22,257 women and 24,051 men) on long course competing between 2000 and 2011 were analysed using linear regression analyses and analyses of variance (ANOVA). Swimming speed was faster on short course compared to long course on all distances for both women and men (P ＜ 0.05) except in the women’s 1,500m (P＞0.05). For the distances of 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m, men completed short course faster by 2.25%, 2.97%, 1.62%, 2.34%, 1.86% and 1.89%, respectively (P＜0.05). For women, the differences between the courses were 3.16%, 2.27%, 2.45%, 1.90%, 2.56% and 5.84%, respectively (P＜0.05). The fastest swimming speeds were achieved in the age group 20-29 years for both women and men on all distances. In summary, (i) freestyle swimming speed was faster on short course than long course except for 1,500m in women and (ii) athletes in age group 20-29 years achieved the fastest swimming speeds on all lengths for both short course and long course.