One Sprinter, Two Olympic Preparations: A Single-Athlete Longitudinal Observational Study of Training-Intensity...

Purpose: This single-athlete, longitudinal observational study describes training intensity distribution (TID) across two Olympic preparation cycles (Rio 2016 vs. Tokyo 2021) and explores whether differences in high-intensity exposure coincided with performance outcomes. Methods: An elite male 50 m freestyle specialist (personal best 21.27 s; height: 187 cm, weight: 80 kg, body mass index: 22.9 kg·m^-2, fat-free mass: 75.2 kg, and fat mass: 4.8 kg) was monitored across four mesocycle periods. TID is expressed as % of total swim volume in three zones: Z1 (low intensity), Z2 (threshold), Z3 [high intensity/race-pace, including High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Sprint Interval Training (SIT)]. Both the coach and swimmer signed a written informed consent for the use of their data. Results: For Rio 2016, TID (Z1/Z2/Z3) was as follows: General 80/0/20, Specific 60/0/40, Pre-competition 40/30/30, and Taper 50/20/30, indicating a polarized approach. For Tokyo 2021, TID shifted to: General 85/0/15, Specific 60/0/40, Pre-competition 30/30/40, and Taper 40/20/40. Discussion: In this single athlete, a greater proportion of work in Z3 during the Tokyo cycle, particularly in the Pre-competition and Taper phases, probably coincided with improved performance (21.57 vs. 21.79 s). Conclusions: Although clear causal inference is not possible, these observations depict the probability that sprint-swim preparation for 50 m events needs a training volume oriented to Z3 and relatively less in Z1. However, the study's design, the methods by which the TID was recorded, etc., limit any generalization about the interpretation of the findings. Therefore, future studies should address these limitations, providing more insights into improving the training on that kind of events.