Abstract

REDONDO, JC; FERNANDEZ-MARTINEZ, E  and  IZQUIERDO, JM. The effect of relative age in throwing disciplines of participants in the national sports training plan in Spanish athletics. CPD [online]. 2019, vol.19, n.3, pp.156-167.  Epub June 22, 2020. ISSN 1989-5879.

The concept of relative effect of age refers to the consequences of the physical and psychological differences that may exist between those born earlier or later within the same calendar year. The objective of the present study was to examine this phenomenon in Spanish throwers under 18s (Sub-18) and under 14s (Sub-14), identifying the influences of the athletic discipline. The sample comprised 1,960 throwers participants in the national sports training plan in Spanish athletics of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) between 2005 and 2018. Statistical analysis was based on a chi-squared test followed by calculation of the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The main results show that at all disciplines (discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw and shot put) there was an over-representation of individuals born in the first few months of the year. The biggest difference is observed in shot put and in most cases this effect is reduced with the maturation of the throwers. We can conclude that the structure of Spanish athletics encourages the bibrearance of this phenomenon, probably due to the early selection process of throwers.

Keywords : Age distribution; Birth quarter; Maturation.

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