Track and Field (Athletics) Performance Analysis Considerations

Performance Levels

Coach should get performance lists annually and establish world performances in each event, world records, world championships and Olympic games. Ask oneself as to what factors influence the development of the sport? What must be improved to develop the sport? Why are some countries dominant in some events and not others? How many disciplines are there for men and women? Which countries dominated in the last major championships eg. Athens Olympics, 2007 world championships? Regional power houses? Continental, East Africa and regionally within Kenya. How do countries plan for their talent development? Which countries set the pace in athletics event by event? What is the durability of athletes at the elite level eg Morceli, Noah Ngeny, Gail Devers, Gabresilasie, Hicham, Tergat etc

Sport Performance Development Factors:

5 Key Factors:

Social factor

• Recognition and appreciation by society
• Role models in athletics
• Sport following in a country-Political support and identification with athletic events eg presidential attendance of competitions, Ministers etc.
• Mass sport- Corporate support given mass appeal of the sport

Material factor

• The better the reputation of a sport the better the material support
  • Provision of facilities key to its development country wide
    • Athletics well catered for given that majority of primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and local government authorities own stadia with a track
    • Availability of equipment and various apparatus for use by athletes eg. Discuss, shot put, javelin, hurdles, etc.
    • Improvisation of instruments is vital in absence of standard equipment
    • The terrain and other training facilities that are needed
    • Availability of training camps

Personnel and personal factor

• Coaches can influence personal factors of the athlete
  • There is need for involvement of people from diverse backgrounds and training eg. PE teachers, Coaches, trainers, physicians, physiotherapists, parents, dieticians, psychologists, counselors, administrators, managers, officials etc
    • The input of specialized persons in training pushes the athlete to higher levels of performance closer to the ultimate genetic potential

Training and Competition system

• All age competitions and training programmes starting from pre-school and early primary level
  • Competitions enhance sport following
    • Annual calendar and how followed. Coaches should know the schedule so that the competitors can fit in the schedule.
    • Planning for various activities ie. Whoever fails to plan, plans to fail.
    • Training evolution also key to sport development eg

• Before 1956: Periodization of training introduced before Melbourne Olympic games. Alongside periodization, strength training was emphasized leading to improved performances.

• Before 1960 Olympics: Emphasis was shifted to special training eight weeks before a major competition. This was called direct preparation or peaking or tapering.
• Before 1968: Competitions were held at altitude hence need for acclimatization at training camps above 2,000m above sea level. This affected distance events but favoured explosive events eg. Jumps.
• Before 1976: Performance improved due to emphasis on specialized strength training depending on the event.
• In 1980’s: High performance system changed drastically with increased number of competitions eg. Indoor championships, junior championships, youth, grand prix competition series or circuit, a lot of money at stake, high motivation to train and win, emergence of new sporting nations with athletes showing hunger for success eg Morocco, Algeria, Kenya and Ethiopia, while others like Finland, Britain declined in performance. This period also witnessed intensive commercialization of athletics with a drive towards professionalism. The Los Angeles Olympic games in 1984, for example, were the first to be organized and paid for exclusively by the corporate sector at a profit. Athletes also became increasingly professional as they were paid to run. Other aspects such as merchandising and individual branding came into vogue with sports shoe manufacturers being on the forefront of using athletes to promote and market them.
• 1990’s: Individualization of training to suit the person, marked increase in athletic agents, establishment of training camps manned by different shoe manufacturers and availability of more competitions.
• 21st Century: More specialized and wider choice of training regimens at the disposal of coaches and athletes. There are now multi-cycles of training as opposed to only one. There is improved technology which has made it possible to simulate competition much better and implements are much more improved allowing for improved performances. However, there are also reduced world records especially in the field events and ladies sprinting events.
• There is also a phenomenon of change of citizenship from talent laden countries to less endowed ones but with better remuneration for athletes eg. Qatar, Bahrain, Portugal, USA, Denmark.
• Increased investigations into drug usage in sport which might also reflect a subtle use of drugs to enhance training and competition.
• More diversified personnel at disposal of athletes thereby improve quality of training and competition performance.

Science and Technology

• It directly influences performance development
  • Performance diagnostics now makes possible for a coach to get detailed and exact performance of an athlete on various aspects.
    • Based on diagnostic analysis, there is better feedback to the athlete
    • Better control of training load eg. 50 years ago, stop watches were used, and others such as pulse rate, fitness testing using cooper test, multi shuttle VOxmass test, Lactate test, speed test, strength test, flexibility etc.
    • Implements have changed including poles for pole vault, landing gear for high jump, javelins etc
    • Simulation of competitive weather conditions and altitude for acclimatization
    • Use of enhanced diets, drinks and other vitamin supplements to improve training and regeneration of athletes.