Physical performance predictors in youth breaststroke swimming: motor and biomotor diagnostic differences

Swimming performance in youth athletes is influenced by a complex interplay of physical, motor, and physiological factors. Among competitive swimming strokes, breaststroke is technically demanding and requires precise coordination, balance, and strength. Understanding which specific motor and biomotor components most strongly predict performance in young swimmers can help coaches and sports scientists design more targeted training and talent identification programs. This study aimed to investigate whether statistically significant differ-ences exist in motor and biomotor characteristics between child swimmers with high and low performance levels in breaststroke swimming. A comparative cross-sectional study design was employed. The sample consisted of 58 child swimmers (age: 11.55 ± 1.35) who regularly participated in swimming training. Based on their 50-meter breaststroke times, participants were divided into high- and low-performance groups. Motor and biomotor performance levels were assessed using variables such as reaction time, balance, flexibility, agility, hand grip strength, vertical jump height, and 30-meter sprint time. Arm span was also measured as an anthropo-metric parameter, and intergroup comparisons were conducted accordingly. The findings revealed that higher-performing swimmers exhibited statistically signifi-cant differences in certain motor and biomotor traits compared to their low-er-performing peers. Specifically, agility, vertical jump height, balance, and arm span emerged as potential performance determinants closely aligned with the technical re-quirements of breaststroke swimming. These results suggest that specific motor and biomotor parameters particularly agility, vertical jump, balance, and arm span are key discriminators of breaststroke performance. Therefore, training pro-grams should be designed to enhance neuromuscular coordination, reactive strength, and postural control. Additionally, anthropometric factors such as arm span should be considered in talent identification processes. Targeted development of these attributes may contribute to performance optimization in young swimmers.