Investigation of the Relationship Between Selected Body Compositions and Short and Medium Distance Swimming Performances

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between age, height, body weight, shoulder width, hand, foot, leg and stroke length and 50 m, 100 m and 200 m freestyle and backstroke swimming performances. The body composition measurements of 24 male individuals who received swimming training and whose average sports age was 2.30 ± .57 years were taken. At the same time, their 50 m, 100 m and 200 m freestyle and backstroke swimming times were determined. The analysis of the obtained data was performed using descriptive and correlation tests in the SPSS 27 package program. The study findings revealed that 50 m freestyle swimming performance and body compositions showed a negative significance (p<0.05). It was determined that 100 m freestyle swimming performance had a negative, significant (p<0.05) relationship with all other studied parameters except the age variable. Again, it was determined that the negative relationship between 200 m freestyle swimming performance and body compositions was significant (p<0.05). It was observed that there was a significant (p<0.05) relationship between 50 m backstroke swimming performance and height, shoulder width, hand, foot and leg length. It was revealed that there was a significant relationship between 100 m and 200 m backstroke swimming performance and height, body weight, stroke, hand, foot and leg length at p<0.05 level. As a result, it was revealed that almost all of the studied body compositions positively affected the performance in different swimming styles, and only these effect levels differed in terms of significance. In this context, it is thought that body compositions can be used as indicators in swimmer selection. Keywords Swimming performance, Body composition, Relationship.