Research in Sport Medicine and Technology

Youth swimming performance may be influenced by anthropometric,
physiology, and biomechanical factors. The purpose of this study was to
analyze the relationships between 50-m front-crawl swimming performance and
relevant anthropometrical (body height, body mass, body mass index, arm
span, shoulders width, thigh, leg and upper arm lengths), muscle architectural
(muscle thickness, pennation angle, and fascicle length) and biomechanical
(stroke rate, stroke length, and stroke index) parameters in male young
swimmers, with 13.86±0.86 years of age (n = 23). Multiple regression analysis
was used to examine the variance of the 50 meters front-crawl. Results indicate
that stroke index, muscle thickness of Vastus Lateralis, and stroke length
explained %89 (p < .01) of 50-m front-crawl swimming performance variability in
these young male swimmers, and stroke index was the best single predictor of
swimming performance (R2=0.519, p<0.001). To conclude, performance of
young male swimmers in the 50 meters front-crawl is determined predominantly
by biomechanical and muscle architectural factors, and must be considered
when predicting success in young swimmers