Swimmers perform better in relay competitions than in individual competitions - but only if they start as number two, three or four in their team.
Sports scientists at the University of Kassel have found that out.
The researchers examined achievements in 4x100-meter freestyle races at the Olympic Games and World Championships over the past 20 years and compared them with the respective individual times.
Sascha Zoske
Journalist in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
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On average, relay swimmers in positions two to four finished 0.26 seconds earlier than in their individual competitions.
Since the increase in performance was achieved over the entire 100 meters, the researchers suspect that it can be explained by increased exertion.
At position one, however, the performance remained the same.
In addition to differences in the starting technique, the researchers suspect that the reason that the relay swimmers who start later feel a greater "social indispensability" - the teammates can possibly compensate for a weaker performance of the first.
The increase in performance is greater for female swimmers
As it turned out, the increase in performance was also dependent on the current position of the team in the current competition.
They were particularly noticeable when the relay team had a high chance of winning a medal when switching - and when it was a question of female athletes.
According to the Kassel sports scientists around Claudia Braun, it could be an advantage for women's teams if the strongest swimmers start in position one or two.
This creates a good starting position for medals, which in turn motivates the later starters to top performance.
A men's relay, on the other hand, would not benefit from such a strategy, says Braun.
Because the athlete in first position is not expected to increase his performance, while his colleagues who start later could probably improve their times.