Internationale De Natation Research Articles

Space invaders: dominant and emergent regulatory actors in the case of World Aquatics and the International Swimming League

This article examines the regulatory space occupied by principal actors in elite sport, with a particular interest in how dominant actors in sports governance respond to the emergence of third-party competitions or ‘breakaway’ leagues. Applying a regulatory lens, the article identifies actors who, by virtue of their role and position, have long assumed or claimed legitimacy and authority in the running of a sport. In pursing that line of inquiry, the article focuses on the role of dominant actors assuming the constitutional right of prior approval in sanctioning and authorising qualifying events, along with penalties for athletes who participate in breakaway leagues. These controls in elite level swimming present a salient case where the sport has long been ruled by a singular actor, World Aquatics (WA), formerly known as Fédération Internationale De Natation. In recent years, WA’s dominant position has been interrupted by the rise of an emergent actor, the International Swimming League (ISL), which presented opportunities for either regulatory accommodation or disruption. In pursuing that scenario, the article draws on Hancher and Moran’s regulatory space metaphor (1989), which theorises the attributes of dominant actors occupying regulatory spaces. Concurrently, the article draws upon Arts’ Three Faces of Power concept (2003) to interpret the values, behaviours, and characteristics of various types of regulatory actors. By exploring the key characteristics of regulatory actors in the WA-ISL relational context, this article contributes to our understanding of organisational legitimacy and the regulatory power of dominant and emergent actors in global sport’s regulatory space.

Assessing the Use of Heart-Rate Monitoring for Competitive Swimmers.

Quantifying training intensity provides a comprehensive understanding of the training stimulus. Recent technological advances may have improved the feasibility of using heart-rate (HR) monitoring in swimming. However, the implementation of HR monitoring is yet to be assessed longitudinally in the daily training environment of swimmers. This study aimed to assess the implementation of HR by comparing the training-intensity distribution from an external measure, planned volume at set intensities (PVSI), with the internal training-intensity distribution measured using time in HR zones. Using a longitudinal observational design, 10 competitive swimmers (8 male and 2 female, age: 22.0 [2.3]y, Fédération Internationale de Natation point score: 842.9 [58.5], mean [SD]) were monitored daily for 6months. Each session, HR data, and coached-planned and athlete-reported session rating of perceived exertion (Modified Category Ratio 10 scale) were recorded. Based on previously determined training zones from an incremental step test, PVSI was calculated using the planned distance and planned intensity of each swim bout. Training-intensity distributions were analyzed using a linear mixed model (lme4). The model revealed a small to moderate relationship between PVSI and time in HR zone, based on the Nakagawa R-squared value (range .14-.42). Training-intensity distribution differed between the internal measure (ie,HR) and the external measure of intensity (ie,PVSI). This demonstrates that internal and planned external measures of intensity cannot be used interchangeably to monitor training. Further research should explore how to best integrate these measures to better understand training in swimming.

Exploratory investigation of traditional scoring in diving and relationships to the development of Artificial Intelligence opportunities

This study investigated the conceptions of perfection that figure in the minds of divers, coaches, and judges. Additionally, consideration was given to their views of whether an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based scoring system could be relied upon to yield authentic results, allied with the desirability of its use. Six participants (2 each of diver, coach, judge) were interviewed. Following verbatim transcriptions, thematic analyses were conducted to identify commonly occurring themes relevant to diving and its scoring system. The results of this preliminary study have shown a leaning towards clarification of the rules on point deductions by FINA (Fédération Internationale De Natation/ International Swimming Federation). Furthermore, the concept of perfection in diving changes from country to country and culture to culture, providing further difficulties in the objectivity of judging and there was a call for openness and clarity. With the human element of judging carrying weakness and allowing for errors, subsequently, it was felt by the respondents that some parts of a dive should be measured with technology where feasible. There was a consensus that judges could not be fully replaced without substantive changes to the sport of diving, in effect losing the artistic element that is subjectively assessed.

Injuries and Illness during the 2019 Gwangju FINA and Masters World Championships in Elite and Amateur Athletes.

Comparative analysis of injury and illness prevalence in elite and amateur athletes provides the basis for the development of tailored prevention programs. The authors analyzed the differences in frequency and characteristics of injuries and illnesses which occurred in elite and amateur athletes during the 2019 Gwangju Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) and Masters World Championships. The 2019 FINA World Championships hosted 3095 athletes in the disciplines of swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. While the 2019 Masters World Championships hosted 4032 athletes in swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. All medical records were electrically recorded in every venue as well as the central medical center located at the athlete's village. More elite athletes visited clinics than amateur athletes during the events (15.0 vs 8.6%, p<0.05) despite the ages of amateur athletes being higher than elite athletes (41.0±15.0 vs 22.4±5.6 years, p<0.01). Elite athletes complained mainly of musculoskeletal problems (69%), while amateur athletes complained of both musculoskeletal (38%) and cardiovascular (8%) problems. The most frequent injury in elite athletes was due to overuse in the shoulder joints, while that of amateur athletes was traumatic injuries involving feet and hands. The most common illness was respiratory infection in both elite and amateur athletes, while cardiovascular events occured only in amateur athletes. As the risk of injury varies in elite and amateur athletes, tailored preventive measures should be prepared. Furthermore, preventive measures of cardiovascular events should focus on amateur sports events.

The cost of living crisis: how can we tackle fuel poverty and food insecurity in practice?

<h3>Background</h3> Analysis of injury and illness prevalence in elite sport provides the basis for the development of prevention programmes. <h3>Objectives</h3> To analyse the frequency and characteristics of injuries and illnesses occurring during the 13th Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Championships 2009. <h3>Design</h3> Prospective recording of newly incurred injuries and illnesses. <h3>Methods</h3> The 13th FINA World Championships hosted 2592 athletes from 172 countries in the disciplines of swimming, diving, synchronised swimming water polo and open water swimming. All team physicians or physiotherapists were asked to complete daily a standardised reporting form for all newly incurred injuries and illnesses for their teams. To cover teams without medical staff, the physicians of the Local Organizing Committee also submitted daily report forms. <h3>Results</h3> 171 injuries were reported resulting in an incidence of 66.0 per 1000 registered athletes. The most affected body parts were the shoulder (n=25; 14.6%), and head (n=21; 12.3%). Half of the injuries occurred during training. The most common cause of injury was overuse (n=61; 37.5%). 184 illnesses were reported resulting in an incidence of 71.0 per 1000 registered athletes. The respiratory tract was most commonly affected (n=91; 50.3%) and the most frequently classified cause was infection (n=81; 49.2%). The incidence of injuries and illnesses varied substantially among the five disciplines, with the highest incidence of injury in diving and the lowest in swimming. <h3>Conclusions</h3> As the risk of injury varied with the discipline, preventive measures should be discipline specific and focused on minimising the potential for overuse. As most of the illnesses were caused by infection of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, preventive interventions should focus on eliminating common modes of transmission.

The Muscle Typology of Elite and World-Class Swimmers.

To examine whether the muscle typology of elite and world-class swimmers could discriminate between their best distance event, swimming stroke style, or performance level. The muscle carnosine content of 43 male (860 [76] FINA [Fédération Internationale de Natation] points) and 30 female (881 [63] FINA points) swimmers was measured in the soleus and gastrocnemius by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and expressed as a carnosine aggregate Z score (CAZ score) to estimate muscle typology. A higher CAZ score is associated with a higher estimated proportion of type II fibers. Swimmers were categorized by their best stroke, distance category (sprinters, 50-100m; middle distance, 200-400m; or long distance, 800m-open water), and performance level (world-class, world top 10, or elite and world top 100 swimmers outside of the world top 10). There was no significant difference in the CAZ score of sprint- (-0.08 [0.55]), middle- (-0.17 [0.70]), or long-distance swimmers (-0.30 [0.75], P = .693). World-class sprint swimmers (all strokes included) had a significantly higher CAZ score (0.37 [0.70]) when compared to elite sprint swimmers (-0.25 [0.61], P = .024, d = 0.94). Breaststroke swimmers (0.69 [0.73]) had a significantly higher CAZ score compared to freestyle (-0.24 [0.54], P < .001, d = 1.46), backstroke (-0.16 [0.47], P = .006, d = 1.42), and butterfly swimmers (-0.39 [0.53], P < .001, d = 1.70). Furthermore, within the cohort of breaststroke swimmers, there was a significant positive correlation between FINA points and CAZ score (r = .728, P = .011); however, this association was not evident in other strokes. While there was no clear association between muscle typology and event distance specialization, world-class sprint swimmers possess a greater estimated proportion of type II fibers compared to elite sprint swimmers, as well as breaststroke swimmers compared to freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly swimmers.

International Swimming League: Do Successive Events Lead to Improve Swimming Performance?

To quantify the impact of successive competitions on swimming performance in world-class swimmers. An entire data set of all events swum during a new competition named the International Swimming League was collected. A Bayesian linear mixed model has been proposed to evaluate whether a progression could be observed during the International Swimming League's successive competitions and to quantify this effect according to event, age, and gender. An overall progression of 0.0005 (0.0001 to 0.0010)m/s/d was observed. The daily mean progression (ie,faster performance) was twice as high for men as for women (0.0008 [0.00 to 0.0014] vs 0.0003 [-0.0003 to 0.0009]m·s-1). A tendency toward higher progression for middle distances (200 and 400m) and for swimmers of a higher caliber (above 850 FINA [Fédération Internationale de Natation] points) was also observed. Swimmers between 23 and 26years of age seemed to improve their swimming speed more in comparison with the other swimmers. This new league format, which involves several competitions in a row, seems to allow for an enhancement in swimming performance. Coaches and their support staff can now adapt their periodization plan in order to promote competition participation.

Case Study: Comparison of Swimsuits and Wetsuits Through Biomechanics and Energetics in Elite Female Open Water Swimmers

The authors investigated how the Arena Powerskin R-EVO Closed Back swimsuit and Arena Carbon Triwetsuit (full-sleeve wetsuit), both approved by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) regulations, affect biomechanics and energetics of 3 elite female open water (OW) swimmers at maximal and 4 submaximal swimming intensities. Three elite female OW swimmers (OW1 = 24y, 1.64m, 60kg; OW2 = 23y, 1.69m, 65kg; OW3 = 27y, 1.63m, 64.5kg) were tested 1 week prior to a FINA/CNSG (China National Sports Group) Marathon Swim World Series event and 40 days before the 18th FINA World Championships 2019. Each OW swimmer completed 2 identical testing sessions, one with a swimsuit and other with a wetsuit, involving shoulder flexion power output assessed from medicine-ball throw, maximal performance and drag coefficient assessment, and an incremental intermittent swim test at 4 different relative intensities. Estimated peak oxygen uptake was 4.4L·min-1 for OW1, 5.6L·min-1 for OW2, and 5.0L·min-1 for OW3. Despite a distinct behavior observed on index of coordination for OW3, a null index of synchronization, increased stroke rate (mean difference = 2%-8%), reduced drag factor (minimum = -14%; maximum = -30%), lower energy cost (mean difference = -2% to -6%), and faster performance (mean difference = 2% to 3%) were observed with the wetsuit compared with swimsuit for all elite OW swimmers. The wetsuit enhances submaximal swimming performance, and this increase is dependent on the OW swimmer's characteristics. The higher stroke rate and lower stroke length detected with wetsuit could be related to movement constraints imposed by the suit.

Investigation of International Status of Sports Pharmacy Guideline

The role of sports pharmacist is recently gaining increasing importance in international sports events such as the Olympics. The role of a sports pharmacist is to audit doping in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, recommend alternatives for prohibited drugs, and confirm or communicate information on therapeutic use exemptions (TUE). In addition, sports pharmacists assist in various ways, from providing drug information for athletes to counseling on healthy and functional foods. This study aims to investigate the current status of sports pharmacy by comparing the guidelines of pharmacies in the world s leading sports organizations. The research was conducted by collating information from the documents of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), F&#233;d&#233;ration Internationale de Natation Amateur, Federation Internationale de Football Association, guides of pharmacies in the host cities, and website information of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA), and Korean Anti-Doping Agency (KADA). The finding was that there were insufficient pharmacy guidelines in the world s leading sports organizations, except for the largest competition, the IOC. Compared to the IOC s host city pharmacy guidelines, differences were found in each pharmacy guideline in sports organizations. From the website information of WADA, JADA, and KADA, we could not find guidelines for sports pharmacists. Therefore, it is necessary to review the importance of sports pharmacy in the medical service regulations of international competition for the safe medication use of athletes and fair sports competition.

Pharmacy services for the 2019 F\xe9d\xe9ration Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Masters Championships in Gwangju, South Korea

BackgroundThe role of sports pharmacists is being emphasized in international athletic events. This study aimed to describe the pharmacy services for the 2019 Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Masters Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.MethodResearch focused on athletes and coaching staff who received medications after visiting medical centers and pharmacies located in the athletes’ village from July 5 to July 29, 2019. We collected daily results of pharmacy operation and prescription interventions. The data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel, and were expressed as frequency (%).ResultsThroughout the tournament, 633 patients received medication at the athletes’ village pharmacy (gender: 338 men [53.4%], 295 women [46.6%]; nationality: 299 Korean [47.2%], 334 overseas players [52.8%]; patient type: 150 athletes [23.7%], 427 non-athletes [67.5%]). Therapy for musculoskeletal disorders was the most common (n = 29, 19.3%), and oral NSAIDs (n = 56, 22.0%) were the most frequently dispensed medication in athletes. Pharmacists intervened for 47 out of 491 prescriptions (9.6%), with dosage change (n = 21, 44.7%) being the most common intervention type.ConclusionSports pharmacists at FINA World Masters Championships played a pivotal role in ensuring the safe usage of medications by all participants, especially athletes. This study results will be a useful reference for pharmacy services at future international or domestic sports competitions.

Pacing Strategies of 1500 m Freestyle Swimmers in the World Championships According to Their Final Position.

In 1500 m freestyle swimming races, pacing is generally represented by a parabolic or U-shaped curve indicating that swimming velocity is greatest at the start and the last laps of the race while swimmers maintain an even pace through the middle section of the race. However, there is no information to determine if 1500 m race winners select pacing different to other, less successful swimmers within the same competition. Therefore, this investigation aimed to describe the pacing strategies adopted by 1500 m freestyle competitive swimmers in World Championships (long course), from 2003 to 2019 to determine the most effective pacing to obtain victory or a medal. The official overall and split times for 1500 m freestyle races of the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) were obtained from the website of this organization. In total, data of 143 swimming performances (71 male and 72 female) were extracted. With the split times, lap times, and position were calculated across the race. To determine differences in the pacing between best- and worst-ranked finalist, swimmers in each race were divided into four groups based on the final position (1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd vs. 4–8th). All the lap times of the winners of the race were faster than those of participants classified as 4–8th position for men and women races (p < 0.05). However, there were no differences in lap velocity among the different positions achieved at the end of the race when it was normalized by average race velocity. Additionally, there were no differences in the lap-to-lap variability among swimmers with different positions at the end of the race. In summary, both men and women elite swimmers selected parabolic pacing consisting of a fast start in the first lap, an even pace close to their average race velocity in the mid-section of the race (from 50 to 1400 m), followed by an end spurt in the final lap(s). This pattern was very similar in all finalists irrespective of the final position in the race. Hence, the obtaining of a medal in the World Championships was associated to possessing a faster average race velocity rather than a specific pacing profile through the race.

Sink or swim: innovations in aquatic health.

Since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the aquatic sports have expanded both in participation and innovation over the last century. Beginning with swimming, diving, water polo, and later additions of artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving, the aquatics sports represent a core pillar of Olympic disciplines. The rapid expansion of aquatic disciplines necessitated the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) in 1908, to govern the development of aquatic sports. The amateur spectacle has been slowly replaced with an increased focus on health and performance by dedicated professional athletes and support teams, resulting in the development of new innovations. In the early years, innovations largely centered on technical equipment such as bathing suit and springboard design. In more recent years, research and innovation have shifted focus to health and its impact on performance, including but not limited to changes in training methods, nutrition, injury and illness reduction through surveillance and access to education for athletes, coaches, and support personnel. An increased awareness on factors that affect athlete health have also driven safety innovations including the development of Nutrition and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport Clinical Assessment Tool, the Sport Mental Health Assessment and Recognition Tools and safeguarding from harassment and abuse through embedding athletes' right to safe sport in underpinning statutory documents. While the future of aquatic health innovations remains undefined, there are many potential opportunities for research and knowledge translation as the aquatic sports continue to evolve and adapt over time.

Impact of COVID-19 on Swimming Training: Practical Recommendations during Home Confinement/Isolation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe effects on communities globally, leading to significant restrictions on all aspects of society, including in sports. Several significant decisions were made to postpone or cancel major swimming events by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation). Swimmers were no longer allowed to continue their usual training in swimming pools and were confined to their homes. These unusual circumstances may represent a good opportunity to strengthen different areas of swimmer preparation and potentially enhance performance when resuming regular aquatic training. We searched major databases for relevant information, and the present article provides practical information on home-based training for swimmers of all ages. The COVID-19 crisis and its consequences on the swimming community have created a myriad of challenges for swimmers around the world, including maintaining their fitness level and preparing to return optimally and safely to pool training and competitions. Unfortunately, the mental consequences that might arise after the pandemic may also have an impact. We strongly recommend encouraging the swimmers to consider quarantine as an opportunity for development in specific areas of preparation and learn how to best cope with this special situation of self-isolation and/or “physical distancing” for their mental health and in case a similar situation is faced again in the future.

Functional Movement Screen® evaluation: comparison between elite and non-elite young swimmers

Functional Movement Screen® (FMS®) allows to assess athlete’s movement functionality. Movement funcionality in young elite and non-elite swimmers may predict future performance. The purpose of this study is to compare FMS® scores between young elite and non-elite swimmers, and to verify their relationship with 100m freestyle performance. Thirty-two elite swimmers (age: 14.99 ± 0.13 years old; height: 1.71 ± 0.02 m; body mass: 61.28 ± 1.27 kg; Federation Internationale de Natation [FINA] points: 651.59 ± 6.44) and 17 non-elite swimmers (age: 14.65 ± 0.19 years old; height: 165.12 ± 2.03 cm; body mass: 57.22 ± 2.43 kg; FINA points: 405.71 ± 21.41) volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional study. Individual-test FMS® scores, FMS® composite score and FINA points were considered for analysis. Elite swimmers achieved higher Deep Squat (p = 0.005; ES = 0.99), Right Hurdle Step (p = 0.005; ES = 0.99), Left Hurdle Step (p = 0.002; ES = 1.08), Trunk Stability Push Up (p < 0.001; ES = 1.44) and FMS® composite (p < 0.001; ES = 1.35) scores compared to non-elite swimmers. FMS® composite scores were positively related with 100m freestyle performance (r = 0.596, r2 = 40.9%, p < 0.001). Young non-elite swimmers reveal functional deficits in tasks involving mobility of the hips, knees and ankles, and stabilization of the core and spine. Higher movement functionality is positively related with 100m freestyle performance. Swimming coaches should consider this deficits and their relationship with performance to differentiate exercise prescription between this populations.

Heat Injury in Open-Water Swimming: A Narrative Review.

Swimming is one of the most popular sports in the world with open-water swimming (OWS) gaining more and more prominence since being featured in the Federation Internationale De Natation World Aquatics Championships in 1992 and the Olympic Games in 2000. The aim of this review is to analyze the existing literature on heat injury in OWS. Relevant literature was located via computer-generated citations during November of 2020 through online computer searches of multiple major databases. Athletes participating in OWS are exposed to environmental conditions that place them at risk for unique medical conditions such as heat injury. Clinicians providing care for OWS athletes should be educated and trained to recognize these conditions and minimize risks to optimize athlete safety. This article identifies medical challenges related to heat injury in OWS while investigating water temperature recommendations, physiological effects of hyperthermia, risk mitigation strategies, and treatment measures.

How Mixed Relay Teams in Swimming Should Be Organized for International Championship Success.

The primary goal of the present research was to determine the order of swimmers on a mixed relay team that would ensure the best performance in the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Championships held in Kazan (Russia, 2015), Budapest (Hungary, 2017), and Gwangju (South Korea, 2019). The data were obtained from database websites for the 4 × 100 m freestyle and 4 × 100 m medley official results,1 including 660 records from 188 entries of finals and 472 preliminary events. The results showed that the fastest swimmers (according to their best season times) were located primarily in the first or second positions of the freestyle relay. The most successful gender strategy for the 4 × 100 m freestyle (57 out of 82 observations) and for the 4 × 100 m medley (29 out of 83) relays was the order male-male-female-female, although no statistical differences were found (p = 0.79) for the medley relays. In the 4 × 100 m freestyle, the second (p = 0.002; β = 1.62) and third (p =0.003; β = 1.41) relay legs had a statistical effect on the total relay time, whereas in the 4 × 100 m medley, all four relay legs had a statistical effect (p < 0.001) on the final performance, the weight of the four strokes being different in heats with respect to the final round. Also, a later position of the first female swimmer or the consecutive position of two female swimmers in the team order significantly affected the relay performance in specific events. Mixed relay events appeared to present specific strategies in comparison to traditional male- or female-only relay lineups.

Effectiveness of Positive and Negative Ions for Elite Japanese Swimmers’ Physical Training: Subjective and Biological Emotional Evaluations

The purpose of this study is to examine the subjective and objective arousal of elite swimmers during physical training under a positive and negative ion environment. The participants were 10 elite Japanese collegiate swimmers participating in the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) Swimming World Cup (age: 20.80 ± 1.39, five males and five females). Each participant went through two experiments (they were subjected to both the positive and negative ion environment and the control environment) within a four-week interval. The training task was a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) routine for the swimmers. The subjective arousal state was measured using a Two-Dimensional Mood Scale (TDMS). In addition, biological emotional evaluations in the form of an electroencephalogram (EEG) were conducted to assess the arousal state of the elite swimmers. The examination of the change in the arousal level at rest and during training demonstrated that both subjective and objective arousal levels were significantly higher in the positive and negative ion environment than in the control environment. In addition, the average training performance scores were also significantly higher in the positive and negative ion environment than in the control environment. This study posits that the positive and negative ion environment has a positive effect on sports training.

Sex Differences in Swimming Disciplines-Can Women Outperform Men in Swimming?

In recent years, the interest of female dominance in long-distance swimming has grown where several newspaper articles have been published speculating about female performance and dominance—especially in open-water ultra-distance swimming. The aim of this narrative review is to review the scientific literature regarding the difference between the sexes for all swimming strokes (i.e., butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley), different distances (i.e., from sprint to ultra-distances), extreme conditions (i.e., cold water), different ages and swimming integrated in multi-sports disciplines, such as triathlon, in various age groups and over calendar years. The influence of various physiological, psychological, anthropometrical and biomechanical aspects to potentially explain the female dominance was also discussed. The data bases Scopus and PUBMED were searched by April 2020 for the terms ’sex–difference–swimming’. Long-distance open-water swimmers and pool swimmers of different ages and performance levels were mainly investigated. In open-water long-distance swimming events of the ’Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming’ with the ’Catalina Channel Swim’, the ’English Channel Swim’ and the ’Manhattan Island Marathon Swim’, women were about 0.06 km/h faster than men. In master swimmers (i.e., age groups 25–29 to 90–94 years) competing in the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) World Championships in pool swimming in freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, individual medley and in 3000-m open-water swimming, women master swimmers appeared able to achieve similar performances as men in the oldest age groups (i.e., older than 75–80 years). In boys and girls aged 5–18 years—and listed in the all-time top 100 U.S. freestyle swimming performances from 50 m to 1500 m—the five fastest girls were faster than the five fastest boys until the age of ~10 years. After the age of 10 years, and until the age of 17 years, however, boys were increasingly faster than girls. Therefore, women tended to decrease the existing sex differences in specific age groups (i.e., younger than 10 years and older than 75–80 years) and swimming strokes in pool-swimming or even to overperform men in long-distance open-water swimming (distance of ~30 km), especially under extreme weather conditions (water colder than ~20 °C). Two main variables may explain why women can swim faster than men in open-water swimming events: (i) the long distance of around 30 km, (ii) and water colder than ~20 °C. Future studies may investigate more detailed (e.g., anthropometry) the very young (<10 years) and very old (>75–80 years) age groups in swimming

Underwater flutter kicking causes deceleration in start and turn segments of front crawl

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the deceleration effect of flutter kicking after dolphin kicking before commencing the stroke at swimmer’s emersion. Eight male competitive swimmers (age 19.6 ± 1.2 years; Fédération Internationale de Natation points 733.6 ± 57.5) performed 15 m front crawl sprints from wall push-off three times in a row, with two types of underwater kicks [dolphin kick only (dolphin condition) and dolphin kick followed by flutter kick (dolphin-flutter condition)]. Sprint bouts were divided into four phases. Phases 1 and 2 were defined, respectively, as the fourth and fifth dolphin kicks. Phase 3 was defined as the first stroke (dolphin condition) and six beats of the flutter kicking (dolphin-flutter condition). Phase 4 was defined as the second stroke (dolphin condition) and the first stroke (dolphin-flutter condition). Two-way repeated measured analysis of variance on mean swimming velocities demonstrated an interaction of condition and phase (p < 0.001) and a simple main effect (p < 0.001) at Phase 3. These results indicated greater deceleration due to adding the flutter kick after the dolphin kick before commencing the stroke. Swimmers should use only the underwater dolphin kick before commencing the front crawl in start and turn segments.

Swimming progression evaluation by assessment model based on the COMET method

Abstract Our decisions are usually influenced by many factors, which makes it challenging to choose the optimal solution. The problem may be to determine which aspects should be taken into account and how they influence the final result. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods are helpful in this case, and they allow to evaluate defined alternatives despite the lack of precise expert knowledge. In this paper, the COMET (Characteristic Objects Method) method was used to create a multi-criteria model to assess the progression of swimmers over the season. Presented alternatives were divided into two groups of players, and after obtaining preference values from the model, they were compared with each other using statistical values. The research has shown that in the proposed model created based on expert knowledge, the size of the progress combined with the best FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) score can be an effective indicator of the swimmers’ progress.