AUTHOR=Cuenca-Fernández Francisco , Ruiz-Navarro Jesús J. , Polach Marek , Arellano Raúl , Born Dennis-Peter 

TITLE=Short-course performance variation across all race sections: How 100 and 200 m elite male swimmers progress between rounds

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1146711

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2023.1146711

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=To investigate performance variation in all race sections, i.e., start, clean swimming, and turns, of elite short-course races for all swimming strokes and to determine the effect of performance variation on race results by comparing finalists and non-qualified swimmers, a total of 256 races of male swimmers (n=128, age: 23.3±3.1, FINA points: 876±38) competing in the European short-course swimming championships were analyzed. The coefficient of variation (CV) and relative change in performance (∆%) were used to compare intra-individual performance progression between rounds and inter-individual differences between performance levels using a linear mixed model.
While most performance variables declined during the races (P<0.005), performance was better maintained in 200 m compared to 100 m races, as well as in finalists compared to non-qualified swimmers. In 100 m races, Start Times improved between heats, semi-finals, and finals (P<0.005) and contributed to the improved Split Times of Lap 1 in freestyle (P=0.001, ∆=-1.09%), breaststroke (P<0.001; ∆=-2.48%), and backstroke (P<0.001; ∆=-1.72%). Swimmers increased stroke rate from heats/semi-finals to finals in freestyle (P=0.015, ∆=3.29%), breaststroke (P=0.001, ∆=6.91%), and backstroke (P=0.005; ∆=3.65%). Increases in stroke length and clean-swimming speed were only significant between rounds for breaststroke and backstroke (P<0.005). In 200 m races, Total Time remained unchanged between rounds (P > 0.05), except for breaststroke (P=0.008; CV=0.7%; ∆=-0.59%). Start (P=0.004; ∆=-1.72%) and Split Times (P=0.009; ∆=-0.61%) only improved in butterfly. From the turn variables, OUT_5m times improved towards the finals in breaststroke (P=0.006; ∆=-1.51%) and butterfly (P=0.016; ∆=-2.19%). No differences were observed for SR and SL, while clean-swimming speed improved between rounds in breaststroke only (P=0.034; ∆=0.96%).
In conclusion, performance of finalists progressed between rounds in 100 m but not 200 m races, most probably due to the absence of semi-finals. Progression in 100 m races was mainly attributed to improved Start and Split Times in Lap 1, while turn performances remained unchanged. Within round comparison showed higher performance maintenance in 200 m compared to 100 m events, which showed more pronounced positive pacing. Success of finalists was attributed to their overall higher performance level and superior progression between rounds.