Training loads and methods should be adapted to swimmer`s age and performance level. International age-group records times of 50m freestyle showed a progressive improvement in performance of this event. This event could be used as an evaluating tool of the race components (RC). RC should be modified with the age, growth and physical conditioning development. Some forms of regression analysis have been applied to RC studies during international competitions (Absaliamov & Timakovoy, 1990; Nomura, 2006), but this kind of analysis has not been applied to age-group swimmers. Our research purpose was to estimate and use a sophisticated statistical model of the RC performance evolution during the age-group development based on a 50m freestyle test. METHODS: 280 regional age group swimmers (162 males and118 females) participated in the study (age range: 9 - 22 years). Detailed swimming competition video analysis procedure was applied to obtain the RC. Regression analysis was used to discover the tendency and model of the partial times. Inverse function approximation of the RC [start time (ST), stroking time (STT), turning time (TT) and finishing time (FT)] by age and gender was carried out. RESULTS: The type of generic equation obtained by age and gender was as follows: ymen= a1+ b1/age: y woman= a2 + b2/age. Furthermore, different equations were obtained for gender, RC and 50m times. Significant differences between genders in %ST, %TT, %FT were obtained. A crossing trend was found between both models with the crossing age around 12-14 years. The percentage of RC times of these age-group swimmers were compared with percentages of RC times of international swimmers and showed significant differences. DISCUSSION: Race Component times during a 50m freestyle test improved with age and physical conditioning development. The results obtained in percentages of RC times were different between genders. The results showed significant differences between RC percentages in the final 50m time between the study participants and international level swimmers.
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