Modeling Shooting Skills in Adaptive Biathlon for Athletes of Varying Skill Levels Using Virtual Reality Technologies

Background. The rapid growth of virtual reality (VR) and motion tracking technologies in recent years has allowed them to find applications in many fields of science, including elite sports. With the advancement of VR technologies, it becomes possible to address an increasing range of tasks for athlete training. Objectives. To develop and test a virtual reality technology for shooting training in adaptive biathlon. Study Participants. The study involved 15 participants (mean age 24, SD = 11 years), divided into three subgroups. The first subgroup consisted of beginners (n = 5, mean age 27, SD = 7 years). The second subgroup included amateurs (n = 4, mean age 13, SD = 2 years, with a 1st junior rank in adaptive biathlon). The third subgroup comprised professional adaptive biathletes (n = 6, mean age 25, SD = 10 years) with ranks ranging from candidate to international master of sports. Results. Significant differences were shown among the three groups according to the Kruskal — Wallis criterion. Pairwise comparisons revealed that predominantly significant differences were observed between beginners and professionals. It was shown that with an increase in skill level among biathletes, there is a rise in the indicators of “average score” (p < 0.05) and “accuracy” (p < 0.05), while “score deviations” did not demonstrate any patterns. The most significant parameters for successful shooting are those related to postural stability and rifle holding stability: “average curve length” (p < 0.05), “length deviations” (p < 0.001), “average area under the curve” (p < 0.001), and “area deviations” (p < 0.05). The parameter “shooting time” varied among all participants, but no significant differences were found, which may be related to the conditions of virtual reality and the use of an experimental rifle. Conclusions. The study successfully tested virtual reality technology for shooting training in adaptive biathlon. The developed environment proved to be adequate as a tool for diagnosing and training shooting skills. Key parameters for aiming were identified: average curve length, its deviations, average aiming area, as well as average score and accuracy.