BACKGROUND: Smartwatches emerge as a tool capable of measuring kinematic parameters while also being intuitive and widely accessible for swimmers. Furthermore, smartwatches offer promising potential for swimming biomechanics research due to their ease of use, ability to collect data in real time and relatively low-cost compared to traditional assessment instruments. This study aims to analyze GPS signal data, time taken to complete the ± 840m trial, total distance, average swim pace and average stroke rate of two commercial smartwatches in open water swim. METHODS: 8 swimmers were included (4 men and 4 women) (CAAE: 63038022.3.0000.8267/5.659.939). All swimmers have experience with open water swimming. For data collection, swimmers were instructed to complete a ± 840 m trial in a river under downstream conditions, in a self-selected pace. Garmin® Fenix 6 Pro (1) and Coros® Pace Pro (2) were used for collecting total distance, time taken to complete the ± 840 m trial, swim pace and stroke rate. RESULTS: Overall, similar mean values were observed between the smartwatches. GPS signal for Coros smartwatch shows to be more inconsistent than Garmin. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that smartwatch data in open-water swimming should be interpreted with caution, as GPS signal loss possible may affect measurement accuracy
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