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Purpose: To analyze the evolution of the world ranking in swimming over the last 10 years, with particular attention to the effects of COVID-19 on the different levels of participating athletes. Methods: The top 200 world-ranked entries in all swimming events (50-m pool) were collected from 2013 to 2022. A mathematical model (Gaussian model) was proposed to evaluate the ranking progression for different performance levels (clusters) according to distance, stroke, and gender. The model was applied both with and without the COVID season data. Results: Overall results indicated a general progression in world rankings over the last 10 years, except for the COVID season and the post-Olympic year(s), with peak results in the 2021 postpandemic (Olympic) year. The gender gap in World Aquatics points scoring has shown an increasing gap in favor of males since 2017, reaching 1.5% in 2022. The top 200 positions of world rankings were grouped into 3 different clusters defined by the 23.3%, 66.5%, and 100% of ranked male swimmers (or 31.5%, 72.5%, and 100% for females) and with average World Aquatics scores of 910 (12), 858 (10) and 816 (11) points (907 [13], 847 [11], and 802 [12] for females). The Gaussian model showed a gap averaging ∼21 to ∼36 points between performance curves with or without COVID season data, with larger gaps for female rankings and cluster-3 swimmers. Conclusions: These results suggest that, given the lower relative performance of female swimmers in the different clusters of world rankings, female events may provide an opportunity to enter international-level swimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the differences in shoulder ultrasonographic parameters between overhead aquatic athletes and their relationship with shoulder pain. Methods: Sixty-four healthy junior subjects (n = 128 shoulders) participated in the study, including 17 healthy controls, 25 elite junior swimmers, and 22 elite junior water polo players. An ultrasonographic study of the shoulder was carried out to measure the thickness of the rotator cuff structures in sex- and age-paired groups. Results: Compared to controls, female and male swimmers and water polo players had thicker values in the rotator cuff tendons, including the subscapularis (SSB) (p < 0.001), supraspinatus (p < 0.001), infraspinatus (p < 0.001) and teres minor (Tm) (p < 0.025). The female swimmers had thicker values than the water polo players in the SSB (p < 0.001) and Tm (p < 0.011). In the comparison by sexes, the female controls had a thinner LHBB, SSB and Tm (p < 0.019), the female swimmers had a thinner ISP (p = 0.001), and the female water polo players had a thinner LHBB, SSB, ISP and acromiohumeral distance than their group-paired counterparts (p < 0.018). Finally, the females had a lower incidence of positive Jobe test results compared to the males (p = 0.018), which was associated with lower pain scores at rest (p < 0.034) and during training (p < 0.036). Conclusions: The rotator cuff tendon structures were larger in the healthy overhead aquatic athletes compared to the age- and sex-paired controls. The females had smaller values in the shoulder ultrasonographic tendon parameters compared to the age- and sport-paired males, except for the supraspinatus tendon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pacing and tactical race strategies of open water (OW) swimmers have been recognized as significant performance determinants in these events, despite the limited resolution of available race data due to the aquatic environment constraints. The main objective of the study was to re-examine the pacing strategies and race tactics of elite OW swimmers from new enhanced temporal resolution data during the 2022 World Championships (WCH). Data were collected from 58 males and 58 females participants classified into 5 performance groups (G1-G5) depending on their finishing positions. Average velocity, stroke rate, and partial positions were obtained for each swimmer in 17 timing points over the 10 km race (on average 550 m or 5.5% of the race distance). The pacing strategies of successful swimmers, especially men, showed a less conservative behaviour than previous WCH with leading race positions (at least top-6) from the race early stages and a lower race density (≈2%) upon arrival. The enhanced temporal resolution race data showed greater pacing variations as well as end race spurts over a shorter distance than previously reported for successful competitors. These results describe a partly new paradigm in OW race strategies compared to previous race data with low temporal resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]