Observational analysis revealed performance and physiological differences in heats and semi-finals for youth competitive swimmers, indicating strategic exertion.
Key Points
Top 8 swimmers improved their performance by 5.72% from heats to semi-finals, highlighting effective energy conservation.
Significant differences were noted in heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, and blood lactate levels between heats and semi-finals.
The remaining semi-finalists had a lower performance improvement of 2.92%, which suggests a differing strategy compared to the top swimmers.
Results indicate that while initial performance may be slower, strategic pacing can enhance chances of advancing to finals.