Competitive swimming has a long history of success in The Netherlands, featuring Olympic Champions such as Pieter van den Hoogenband and Ranomi Kromowidjojo. But what distinguishes those who reach the top from those who don’t? Answering this question is crucial for effectively guiding swimmers towards the elite level and maintaining the nation’s competitiveness. Therefore, this thesis of Aylin Post examines the pathway to swimming expertise.
Through six studies, this thesis examines both swim performance as well as the underlying physical, mental, technical and tactical characteristics of swimmers on track to reach the elite level (best 50 world-wide). Their development is compared to their peers who, while off track, still attained success at the national level (best 50 nationally). The findings are presented into two athletic profiles - one for males and one for females. Across various ages, these athletic profiles highlight the key characteristics that differentiate swimmers on track towards the elite level from those who are not.
In summary, the findings show that swimmers who advanced further in their careers were already performing better at age 12 than their peers who ultimately reached a lower level. Achieving a season's best time that falls within the age-related international performance benchmark appears to be a prerequisite for progressing to the elite level, but it does not guarantee success. This is evident from the fact that while most Dutch swimming talents were on track for the elite level at the start of their teenage years, only a few remained on that path as their careers progressed. Swimmers who managed to stay at this level made more progress in their swimming times both between and within seasons. Moreover, they demonstrated a higher level and more progress across a versatile profile of underlying physical, mental, technical, and tactical qualities. The specific qualities in which they excelled compared to swimmers who were not on track varied by developmental phase and gender.
Overall, this thesis provides a nuanced, fine-grained, and concrete understanding of the pathway to international swimming success. Whereas youth swimmers previously could only be compared with themselves or immediate peers, this thesis offers age-specific profiles and developmental patterns of swimmers on track towards the elite level. Coaches can use these objective data and evidence-based insights to better assess the potential of their swimmers and guide them optimally towards success. As such, this thesis demonstrates the value of multidimensional and longitudinal research for the field of (elite) sports practice.
