Prediction of 1500-m freestyle swimming times for older masters all-American swimmers

Abstract

Age-related changes in times of elite swimmers have indicated marked slowing at about age 70 - suggesting a discontinuity in aging processes related to physical performance. Overrepresentation of younger swimmers in United States Masters Swimming (USMS) data may also explain this shift. This study determined if age representation in USMS All-American records influenced predicted swimming times for older ages in 1500-m freestyle. Results indicated no influence. Thus, age-related changes in swimming times were predicted accurately using data from either all swimmers or just older swimmers, suggesting that different rates of slowing before and after age 70 represent biological or behavioral factors affecting physical performance and not simply a problem related to disproportionate sampling across age groups.