Abstract:
Background: Swimming demands a unique blend of fitness and biomechanical efficiency.
Anthropometric traits like arm span, leg length, height, and weight influence stroke length,
propulsion, and drag, impacting performance. Assessing these variables offers insights for athlete
profiling and training strategies in elite swimming.
Objectives: To determine the relationship of selected anthropometric characteristics with
performances in national level female swimmers in Sri Lanka, based on Federation Internationale
de Natation (FINA) points derived from each athlete’s best competitive event
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 25 national-level female
swimmers aged 15 to 25 years, recruited via convenient sampling from clubs registered under the
Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union. Measures of anthropometry including arm span, leg length,
height and weight were evaluated using measuring tape, stadiometer and digital weight scale,
respectively. The subjects’ best timing in their best event was taken to calculate the FINA points
as performance. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Spearman’s rank
correlation coefficient test was used for statistical analysis.
Results: Participants (n=25) had a median age of 17.00±1.21 years, median height of 160.00±6.36
cm, and median body weight of 47.00±5.87 kg. The median arm span was 168.24±7.04 cm, and
the median right-side leg length was 88.00±4.44 cm and left-side leg length was 88.00±4.07.
Performance data showed a median FINA score of 418.00±83.68, with a range from 310 to 586;
72% of the athletes achieved scores above 400, reflecting consistent national-level standards. The
performance level had a statistically significant strong positive correlation with arm span (r=0.810,
p<0.001), while right-side leg length (r=0.479, p=0.015) showed statistically significant moderate
positive correlation with performance level.
Conclusions: The present study concluded that Sri Lankan swimmers with higher arm span and
more leg length are positively associated with higher FINA scores. These traits may be beneficial
for performance and should be considered in swimmer development programs.
