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Secular Changes in Masters Swimming Performances: A 40-Year Follow Up
Alan A Hartley1, Joellen T Hartley2
1Department of Psychology, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, USA.
Experimental Aging Research
|July 6, 2023
Summary
US Masters swimmers showed significant yearly improvements from 1981 to 2021. Women
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Physiology
- Swimming Performance Analysis
Background:
- Masters Swimming involves competitive swimming for athletes over 25 years old.
- Understanding performance trends is crucial for sports science and training.
- Secular trends, or changes over time, can impact athletic capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze secular changes in US Masters Swimming performance between 1981 and 2021.
- To compare performance improvements between men and women.
- To assess the magnitude of changes in national records versus top 10 performances.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of archival data from US Masters Swimming.
- Inclusion of national records and top 10 ranked swimmers' performances.
- Statistical examination of performance data over a 40-year period (1981-2021).
Main Results:
- Significant secular improvements in swimming performance were observed, averaging 0.52% per year.
- Women demonstrated greater performance improvements than men over the study period.
- Improvements in national records were more pronounced than those in the top 10 performances.
- Women's 2021 performances reached parity with men's 1981 national records and near parity in top 10 rankings.
Conclusions:
- Secular effects significantly influence Masters Swimming performance trends.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering secular changes when interpreting age-related physiological differences.
- Performance parity between women in 2021 and men in 1981 suggests substantial advancements in female athletic capabilities.
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