The Deaflympic Games 2017 vs. Olympic Games 2016 - male swimming competition, analysis of the age, reaction time, speed and final time

Authors

  • Adam Szulc Faculty of Health Sciences and Physical Education, Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0856-0112
  • Elżbieta Sandurska Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland

Keywords:

social exclusion, disability, hearing impaired, sport competition, winners

Abstract

Purpose: The aim was to analyze the swimming performance of the world's best deaf male swimmers at the Deaflympic
Games (2017) and male hearing swimmers at the Olympic Games (2016).
Methods: To analysis at Deaflympic competition the results of 8 the best finalists in all strokes and distances were used
(n=128 records). Olympic participants (n=312) were divided into two groups (a) 8 the best finalists in all swimming strokes
and distances (b) outsiders – last 16 places (records) from the participation’s lists were used to compare. The age, start
reaction time, average speed swimming and finish time of race in all strokes and distances were compared. The comparison
of starting variables was made using one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s post-hoc test or, alternatively, the Kruskal-
Wallis test.
Results: No statistically significant differences were found for age and start reaction time. Differences between deaf and best
hearing swimmers were found for average speed swimming and final race time (all P< .001, except freestyle at the distance
50 m (P= .264)). Comparing deaf and last 16 places hearing swimmers’ significant values was found for: freestyle at distance
50 m and 1500 m (P= .009, P= .017), breaststroke at distance 100 m and 200 m (P= .038; P= .009), butterfly at 200 m (P=
.006), individual medley at distance 200 m and 400 m (P= .011, P= .004).
Conclusions: The results achieved by the best deaf swimmers placed them rather at the same level with the group of hearing
swimmers with the worst times than with the group of hearing leaders. The results obtained by deaf swimmers confirm the
necessity of separating competitions for deaf and hearing people due to health and organizational limitations. Include Deaf
swimmers in hearing sports, they could reach the level of hearing swimmers. The analyses performed may be helpful in the
training process and in setting sports goals.

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Published

31-12-2024

How to Cite

Szulc, A., & Sandurska, E. (2024). The Deaflympic Games 2017 vs. Olympic Games 2016 - male swimming competition, analysis of the age, reaction time, speed and final time. Acta Kinesiologica, 18(4), 12–19. Retrieved from https://akinesiologica.com/ojs_3.3.0-7/index.php/akinesiologica/article/view/318

Issue

Section

Original Scientific Article