Abstract
ObjectivesThe primary goal was to examine the influence of early specialization on the performance of senior elite swimmers. Secondly, to provide information about the influence of swim style, distance, sex, status, country, years of high-level competition (YHLC) and age in swimmer’s performance.DesignData was obtained from International Federation of Swimming (FINA) regarding the participants 2006–2017 of junior and senior World Championships (WCs). The final filtered database included 4076 swimmers after removing those participating only in junior WCs.MethodCramer V coefficient, double and triple-entry tables were used to measure the relationship between the positions occupied in junior and senior phases. A One-Way ANOVA analysis was used to explain the variables time and rank between swimmers who participated in junior and senior WC or just in senior in all the distances and swim styles (SS). A univariate general linear model (GLM) was used to examine the association between time/rank and category (swimmers that participated previously in junior WC or not); YHLC; country; status (highest finishing position: final/semi-final/heats) and age.ResultsSignificant differences (p < .001) were found in the GLM, with Rank as dependent variable, for all the variables. Showing that swimmers that participated previously in junior categories obtained greater results in all the interactions, except in 1500m freestyle. Significant differences (p < .001) were found between the variables position and YHLC, showing the variable position improvements as swimmers attended more WCs.ConclusionCompeting in junior WC has a positive influence in achieve posteriori success in FINA WC. YHLC have a positive impact to achieve better positions.
Highlights
The influence of the performance obtained in world-class junior categories on the later results in senior categories has been a topic which hasn’t received much research in the sport sciences literature
Yustres et al [12] found that just 17% of finalists of swimming senior World Championships (WCs) had previously participated in junior WC
The data (29928 entries related to 5992 swimmers) underlying the results presented in the study were collected from http://www.fina.org/ and http://www.omegatiming.com/ and processed by the authors
Summary
The influence of the performance obtained in world-class junior categories on the later results in senior categories has been a topic which hasn’t received much research in the sport sciences literature. Performance during the initial stages of events has been highlighted as a key component to success in many sports such as bobsledding, skeleton bobsleigh, and swimming [1]. Trying to approach this question, some studies have analyzed different aspects as risks and benefits of youth sport specialization or when athletes reach their peak of performance, [2,3,4,5] and an early age of specialization is increasingly becoming a tendency [6,7,8]. Yustres et al [12] found that just 17% of finalists of swimming senior WC had previously participated in junior WC
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