From Entry to Finals: Progression and Variability of Swimming Performance at the 2022 FINA World Championships

The aim of the present study was two-fold: (i) to analyze progression and variability swimming performance (from entry times best performances) in 50, 100, 200 m at most recent FINA World Championships (ii) compare Top16, semifinalists, finalists between all rounds. Swimmers who qualified with A B standards for Budapest 2022 were considered. total 1102 individual performances swimmers analyzed freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly events. data retrieved from official open-access websites OMEGA FINA. Wilcoxon test used swimmers’ performances. Repeated measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post-hoc performed round-to-round progression. percentage improvement variation computed negative (entry better than performance) a high (> 0.69%) found showed positive greater (~1%) heats semifinals. However, remained unchanged semifinals finals. tended decrease rounds making each round more homogeneous. Coaches can use these indicators prepare race strategy