Analysis of pacing in 200m breaststroke and butterfly swimmers in the 2021 Olympic Games

Abstract

^{The aim of the present study was to analyze the pacing and total race time of breaststroke and butterfly swimmers in the 200m events of the 2021 Olympic Games. The population evaluated in this study are professional swimmers who competed in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in the year 2021. The sample consisted of men and women who competed in the semifinals of the 200 m breaststroke and butterfly races. For the analyses, the athletes were divided into two groups: disqualified and classified for the finals. The total time, the time of the splits every 50m and the swimming speed in each split were the variables used for data analysis. The classified men had better performances only in the partial 100-150m and 150-200m for the breaststroke and in the partial 50-100m for the butterfly stroke. The classified women achieved less time and greater swimming speed in all partials for both events. The men had significant correlations with the total time of competition for the partial 50-100m, 100-150m and 150-200m for the breaststroke and 50-100m for the butterfly stroke. Women, on the other hand, achieved significant correlations in all partials for both swims. It is concluded that a pacing suggested for the analyzed swims is the one with the smallest variation in velocity, mainly between the last three partials of swimming.}