engleski

AVERAGE AGE OF THE MEDALISTS AT MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN JUDO

Introduction: The question of optimal age for best results in judo career, is frequently asked in the academic community and among sports coaches. The aim of this paper is to determine the period which represents the average age for winning Olympic games (OG) and World championship (WC) medals at the senior level in judo (total for both sexes and separately by gender). The specific aim of study is to determine a difference in the average age of the male and female medalists at major judo competitions. The same parameters will be considered on a sample of European judoka to determine the possible deviation from the overall global trend. Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of 41 major sporting events in judo at the senior level: 12 Olympic Games (1964 to 2012) and 29 World Championships (1956 to 2014). The dataset represents the calculated age of the medal winners in these contests on the basis of which the package Statistica 7.0 calculated basic descriptive parameters (mean and standard deviation) for each competition taking into account the total of both sexes and each gender separately. Results and Discussion: The average age of medalists including all the OG in judo ever held is 25.1 years (SD=0.8) which is slightly lower than the average age considering the OG in period 2000 to 2012 (AM=25.7 ; SD=0.3), indicating that the Olympic medal as the greatest achievement in judo usually win in the age of 25.5 to 26 years, looking at the pattern of the last four OG. In a sample of last four Olympics, female win medals at a later age than male (the male AM=25.7 ; SD=0.2 ; the female AM=26.0 ; SD=0.5). The average age of the medal winners in all WC held 24.9 ; SD=1.4, indicating that the WC medals throughout history until today conquered most often in the period of 23.5 to 26.3 years. Looking WC 2001 to 2014 the average age od medalists was 24.8 ; SD=0.5 which is not such a difference compared to the whole sample of all held WC which indicates that these are the figures that show the average age for winning WC medal in the modern judo. Looking at the results of the 2008 to 2014 data show that the Olympic medals coming a year later than the WC's (WC AM=24.7 ; SD=0.2 ; AM=25.6 ; SD=0.5). In the male it is AM=24.9 ; SD=0.3 for WC, AM=25.5 ; SD=0 for the OG while in the female the difference of the average age is even more than one year (WC AM=24.6 ; SD=0.3 ; AM=26.1 ; SD=0.6). From 2008 to 2014 ther male have won the Olympic medals in a somewhat earlier age than the female (the male WC AM=24.9 ; SD=0.3, OG AM=25.5 ; SD=0 ; the female WC AM=24.6 ; SD=0.5 ; OG AM=26.7 ; SD=0.8). The parameters of Europeans follow the world trend in which they win the Olympic medals at a later age (25.3 to 26.2) than the WC's (24 to 25.5). Conclusion: Although there are exceptions to every rule, the most important conclusions of the study are as follows: in the modern judo judokas in the world win the Olympic medals later (25.5 to 26) than the WC's (24.3 to 25.3). As these are also the most valuable sports achievement in judo can be considered that the age from 24.5 to 26 years represents the optimal period for winning OG and WC medals at the senior level in judo (male 24.5 to 26 ; female 24.5 to 26.5). The female win Olympic medals at a later age than the male while the WC showed no significant difference between the sexes. Europeans follow the world trend in which they win the Olympic medals at a later age than the WC's. The European male follow the world trend of the optimal period for winning major medals, while this is not the case for the European female who reach that period a year earlier. In subsequent research, it is appropriate to explore potential reasons (anthropological, physiological, selection etc.) that lead to the data obtained in this study. References 1. Electronic source. Database Judoinside.com /download 1st of the July 2014/

Judo; Medals; Championships

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