91 The importance of reflection and evaluation for progressing toward the elite level 5 Following this method, we linked swimming to the prevailing world record (WR) during the 2018/2019 swimming, known as relative Swim Time (rST). The rST denotes the absolute swim time as a percentage of the world record. In this study, rST was used to define swim performance (see equation 1). Referring to the rST, we determined the best swim event of the season for each swimmer. The best seasonal swim event was defined as the swim event with the lowest rST, reflecting the swim performance closest to the prevailing WR. Only the longitudinal data on the best seasonal swim event was selected for further analyses. Defining performance level groups (part one) In part one of the present study, swimmers were divided into two groups according to their performance levels: a high-level performance group or a lower-level performance group. We defined groups according to performance trajectories of international elite swimmers, representing the top 50 swimmers worldwide (FINA, 2021). Following Post et al. (2020a), we used the slowest seasonal best swim performance by age category, sex and swim event of these international elite swimmers as performance benchmark (maximum season’s best rST per age category, sex and swim event). Swimmers whose seasonal best performances (season’s best rST) fell within the performance benchmark were defined as high-level performers (n = 92). Conversely, those swimmers whose swim performances were not fast enough were defined as lower-level performers (n = 65; see Figure 2). Defining performance progression groups (part two) Part two of the present study included solely swimmers of the high-level performance group of part one with at least two recorded swim performances in their seasonal best swim event during the 2018/2019 swim season. Therefore, out of the total sample of 157 swimmers, 89 swimmers (49 males and 40 females) aged 12-20 years were included for further analysis (see Figure 2). These 89 swimmers were divided into an advanced progression group and a less advanced progression group, according to their progression level within a season. Applying the method of Post et al. (2020b), we calculated the within-season performance progression of these swimmers during the period between the first swim performance of the season (first rST) and the season’s best rST (see equation 2). Again, we defined groups according to performance trajectories of international elite swimmers, representing the top 50 swimmers worldwide (FINA, 2021). The mean performance progression within a season of these international elite swimmers aged 12–21 years (by sex and swim event) was used as a progression benchmark for categorizing swimmers as advanced progressors or less
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