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

Dennis-Peter Born,Michael Romann,Ishbel Lomax,Dalton Müller Pessôa Filho

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242442

Dennis-Peter Born, Michael Romann + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242442

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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.

Highlights

During recent decades, improved performance of elite female athletes has narrowed the gap in performance to 8–12% compared to male athletes [1]
The annual variation in competition performance (AVCP) (Table 1) and number of races per year (Table 2) were correlated with ranking at the 2018 European Long-Course Swimming Championships (2018EC) and the correlation coefficients with corresponding mean ± standard deviation are presented in Tables 1 and 2
The AVCP decreased throughout the ten years prior to the 2018EC for all swimming strokes (P < 0.001) and was lowest for Freestyle (P 0.04) but not different between Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Individual medley

Summary

Introduction

During recent decades, improved performance of elite female athletes has narrowed the gap in performance to 8–12% compared to male athletes [1]. As swimming has been performed in 50m pools for decades and performance is hardly influenced by environmental factors, such success factors throughout the long-term development of young swimmers may be investigated based on competition performances and race results [4]. Pool length has a +0.01m tolerance and electronical time keeping is obligated in official competitions [5]. These standardized conditions facilitate comparison of race results across various competitions, venues, and seasons

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