COMPARISON OF QUIET EYE DURATION OF THREE DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE LEVEL ATHLETES IN AIR PISTOL SHOOTING: A PRELIMINARY RESEARCH REPORT

Prior research has suggested that the duration of the quiet eye, a period of stabilized gaze on a critical target before executing a motor skill, may serve as a reliable marker of expertise. This study aimed to investigate the role of quiet eye durations in shooting performance across various skill levels classified as novice, experienced, and expert, particularly in young populations. A novice, an experienced, and an expert shooter performed four shooting sessions from a 10 meters distance while an advanced eye-tracking system recorded gaze behaviour at a sampling frequency of 100 Hz. Mean and standard deviation values of quiet eye times were computed for each skill level determined as novice (332 ± 144.14 ms), experienced (817.75 ± 5.31 ms), and expert (925.5 ± 103.70 ms). The results revealed a congruent pattern in the relationship between quiet eye duration and skill levels. Expert athlete exhibited significantly longer quiet eye durations compared to other levels, confirming our initial hypothesis. These results emphasize that, as athletes progress in experience, there is a corresponding enhancement in their ability to sustain focus on critical targets during specific motor skills, a crucial aspect of shooting performance. Moreover, this enhancement seems to occur even at young ages. These findings underscore the significance of quiet eye duration in evaluating skill development and expertise in shooting sports. Increasing participant numbers will pave the way for further research to refine our understanding of these dynamics in diverse sporting contexts.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0447/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>