swimming

Abstract

Topicality. Under current conditions of high-performance sports, the identification of the most gifted, promising athletes is of particular importance, whereas record achievements are typical for athletes who have the most optimal indicators characterized this sport. Purpose of the Research is to study relationship of morphofunctional indicators and motor capabilities with the age characteristics of female athletes aged 11–13 years, specializing in swimming. Research organization. A total of 81 young female athletes aged 11–13 years, specializing in swimming, took part in the study. Research methods. The comprehensive examination included anthropometric measurements, analysis of the body composition, biological age, analysis of the competitive activity results. Research results. The majority (55,6 %) of the surveyed were assigned to the average level of morphological condition, 27,2 % were above average, and only 2,4 % were high. Among the female participants of the competition, young swimmers with lower than average (13,6 %) and even low (1,2 %) levels of morphological status were identified. The body length indicators of 11-year-old female athletes averaged 152,12 cm, 12-year-olds – 154,38 cm, 13-year-olds – 157,87 cm and also were symmetrical. Body length indicators have a significant impact on the performance of 11-year-old girls`100-metre backstroke, and at the age of 12 the influence of morphological features is less pronounced. This pattern continues to be traced at the age of 13. Conclusions. With age, there is mainly an unreliable, uneven increase in morphological indicators; heterochronous changes in the analyzed indicators are noted.