26 Chapter 2 The stages towards acquisition of top-elite performance level Figure 2 shows the first entry age per performance level of male and female top-elite swimmers. In other words, it presents the distribution in age categories at which male and female top-elite swimmers for the first time performed high-competitive, sub-elite, elite and top-elite level. For males, the first entry age in high-competitive level ranges between 14 and 18 years, in which the majority of the male top-elite swimmers entered high-competitive level at the age of 16. The first entry age of sub-elite level ranges between the 15 and 21 years. At least one male swimmer who reached top-elite level, started participating at the sub-elite level for the very first time at the age of 15, while at least one other top-elite swimmer was 21. The age ranges of sub-elite level are largely similar to the age ranges at elite level, however the age at which the majority of male top-elite swimmers started to perform at elite level (20 years), is fairly higher than the age at which the majority of male top-elite swimmers started to perform at sub-elite and high-competitive level (both 16 years). Top-elite level performances started from the age of 17 years on, in which at least one male swimmer entered top-elite level for the first time at 24 years old. The majority of males entered topelite level around the age of 21. For females, the first entry age in high-competitive level ranges between the 12 and 14 years, in which the majority of female top-elite swimmers entered high-competitive level at the age of 13. This is about three years earlier than their male counterparts. The first age of sub-elite level ranges between the 12 and 16 years. The majority of the female topelite swimmers reached sub-elite level for the first time when they were 15 years. The first female top-elite swimmer entered elite level when she was 13 years, however the majority started to perform at elite level at the age of 15. As in male top-elite swimmers, at least one female top-elite swimmer reached elite-level when she was 22 years. The range of first entry ages in female top-elite swimmers is widely spread at top-elite level. The first female top-elite level swimmer who entered top-elite level was only 14 years, however at least one female top-elite swimmer reached elite-level when she was 24 years. In between, no clear pattern was found for the majority of the swimmers.
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