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Purpose: To compare the Multistage Shuttle Swim Test (MSST), Water Polo Intermittent Shuttle Test (WIST) and 5 × 200 m Incremental Swimming Test (IST) responses in elite female water polo players. Methods: Fourteen Australian Women's National Water Polo Squad members performed the MSST and WIST, and 13 players from a National Water Polo League club performed the IST, MSST and WIST on separate occasions (no goalkeepers were involved). Peak heart rate, blood lactate and ratings of perceived exertion were obtained for all tests. Expired air was collected following all tests for the National League players. Results: The National Squad players scored significantly better (ie, distance covered) in the MSST and WIST than the National League players (effect sizes = 1.60 to 1.79, P < .001). The MSST and WIST scores were significantly correlated (r = .80 to 0.88, P < .001). The MSST scores were significantly correlated with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak; mL·kg-1·min-1) obtained for all tests (r = .58 to 0.59, P < .05). In contrast, there were no significant correlations between the WIST scores and VO2peak obtained for any of the tests (r = .43 to 0.52, P > .05). Differences in VO2peak for the IST, MSST and WIST were non-significant (P > .05). Conclusions: The MSST and WIST can discriminate players of different competition standards. The MSST can be used to estimate a player's aerobic fitness arid peak heart rate. The WIST appears to better mimic the intermittent activity pattern of the game, but its application to female players, to assess maximal intermittent endurance swimming performance, requires further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As women age, society assigns stereotypes that suggest that older women are no longer capable of being competent athletes. In considering the experiences of older women in sport from a sociological perspective, this article provides a short summary of works examining older women in masters sport settings, as well as three brief case studies of older women engaged in sport and movement. As American women age, more of them will have experienced organized high school sport (after the passage of Title IX), suggesting that the experiences of older women in sport will take on new dimensions and meanings worthy of exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous research shows that leanness- and weight-dependent sports increase the risk of developing disturbed eating behaviour. This study investigated whether adolescent aesthetic athletes (n =68, M =14.6years), particularly ballet dancers and figure skaters, exhibit more eating pathology compared to the general population. Furthermore, it was investigated whether sport-related factors have explanatory value for the dieting behaviour of aesthetic athletes. To asses eating pathology, reliable and valid self-report questionnaires were used including the Eating Disorder Inventory-II, the Children''s Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire and the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Results show that female aesthetic athletes show more drive for thinness, features of bulimia, dieting behaviour and concerns about weight and shape compared to female adolescents from the general population. Concerning the explanation of dieting behaviour in aesthetic athletes, both sport-related factors (competition state anxiety) and general risk factors (eating concern) seem to be relevant. These results suggest that female aesthetic athletes show more disturbed eating behaviour and thoughts than female adolescents from the general population and therefore may have an enhanced risk of developing clinical eating disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study that investigates the relationship between Fartlek method and speed running. The study involved two 15-member groups of 12-year-old athletic girls, who performed two events for 30-meter (m) speed running and a 50m distance running during two-minute running test. The study concluded that speed running of 30m showed significant progress in girls, while Fartlek positively influenced running the 30m distance and not to the 50m distance.

The aim of this study was to quantify the movement patterns of contemporary elite women's water polo match play. Thirty-three player matches (centre, n = 15 and perimeter, n = 18) were analysed using video-based time-motion analysis. Frequency and duration of individual movements and distance swum were assessed. Mean match time and playing time were 69:48 ± 04.30 min:s and 33:14 ± 14:40 min:s, respectively. Players performed 330 ± 158 discrete movements per match, representing a change in movement every 6.2 s. There were 54 ± 25 high-intensity activities per match, or one every 38.4 s. These findings characterise women's water polo as a high-intensity intermittent sport. Total distance swum per match was 699.3 ± 296.8 m. Positional differences showed a predominance of wrestling in centre players (4:13 vs. 1:53 min:s; P < 0.001) and sprint swimming in perimeter players (2:09 vs. 0:52 min:s; P < 0.001). Players performed 6.7 ± 3.5 repeated high-intensity activity bouts per match, suggesting that this facet of play is important in water polo. Overall, exercise intensity decreased as a match progressed, suggesting the likelihood of fatigue during the latter stages. These findings provide important information for the planning and monitoring of training in women's water polo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research conducted to investigate the anthropometric and fitness characteristics of elite female water polo players and to examine the differences between players of different competition levels and playing positions. Researchers evaluated 26 players. They found differences between national and international players and determined that anthropometric and fitness characteristics can discriminate between players of different competition levels and playing positions.

The aim of this study was to identify anthropometric and biomotor variables that discriminated among groups of elite adolescent female athletes aged 14.3 ± 1.3 years (mean ± s) from four different sports (tennis, n = 15; swimming, n = 23; figure skating, n = 46; volleyball, n = 16). The anthropometric variables included body mass, height, bi-epicondylar breadth of the distal extremity of the humerus and femur, maximal girth of the calf and biceps and the sum of five adipose skinfolds. The biomotor variables were maximal aerobic power, muscular endurance and flexibility of the trunk. Discriminant analysis revealed three significant functions (P < 0.05). The first discriminant function primarily represented differences between figure skaters and all other groups of athletes. The other two underlined anthropometric and biomotor differences between swimmers and volleyball players and between tennis players and swimmers, respectively. After validation, the analysis showed that 88% of the athletes were correctly classified in their respective sports. Our model confirms that elite adolescent female athletes show physical and biomotor differences that clearly distinguish them according to their particular sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]