The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes

Puccinelli, Paulo J.; de Lira, Claudio A. B.; Vancini, Rodrigo L.; Nikolaidis, Pantelis T.; Knechtle, Beat; Rosemann, Thomas; Andrade, Marilia S.

doi:10.3390/healthcare10050797

Open AccessArticle

The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes

by

Paulo J. Puccinelli

¹

,

Claudio A. B. de Lira

²

,

Rodrigo L. Vancini

³

,

Pantelis T. Nikolaidis

⁴

,

Beat Knechtle

^5,6,*

,

Thomas Rosemann

⁶

and

Marilia S. Andrade

¹

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Translacional, Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil

²

Human and Exercise Physiology Division, Faculty of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil

³

Center of Physical Education and Sports, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil

⁴

School of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece

⁵

Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen and Institute of Primary Care, 9100 St. Gallen, Switzerland

⁶

Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Healthcare 2022, 10(5), 797; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050797

Submission received: 9 March 2022 / Revised: 12 April 2022 / Accepted: 21 April 2022 / Published: 25 April 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Athletes’ Performance and Avoiding Health Issues)

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Abstract

Sex differences in triathlon performance have been decreasing in recent decades and little information is available to explain it. Thirty-nine male and eighteen female amateur triathletes were evaluated for fat mass, lean mass, maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max), ventilatory threshold (VT), respiratory compensation point (RCP), and performance in a national Olympic triathlon race. Female athletes presented higher fat mass (p = 0.02, d = 0.84, power = 0.78) and lower lean mass (p < 0.01, d = 3.11, power = 0.99). VO₂ max (p < 0.01, d = 1.46, power = 0.99), maximal aerobic velocity (MAV) (p < 0.01, d = 2.05, power = 0.99), velocities in VT (p < 0.01, d = 1.26, power = 0.97), and RCP (p < 0.01, d = 1.53, power = 0.99) were significantly worse in the female group. VT (%VO₂ max) (p = 0.012, d = 0.73, power = 0.58) and RCP (%VO₂ max) (p = 0.005, d = 0.85, power = 0.89) were higher in the female group. Female athletes presented lower VO₂ max value, lower lean mass, and higher fat mass. However, females presented higher values of aerobic endurance (%VO₂ max), which can attenuate sex differences in triathlon performance. Coaches and athletes should consider that female athletes can maintain a higher percentage of MAV values than males during the running split to prescribe individual training.

Keywords: triathlon; sports medicine; sports physiology; female athlete; VO₂ max

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MDPI and ACS Style

Puccinelli, P.J.; de Lira, C.A.B.; Vancini, R.L.; Nikolaidis, P.T.; Knechtle, B.; Rosemann, T.; Andrade, M.S. The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes. Healthcare 2022, 10, 797. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050797

AMA Style

Puccinelli PJ, de Lira CAB, Vancini RL, Nikolaidis PT, Knechtle B, Rosemann T, Andrade MS. The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes. Healthcare. 2022; 10(5):797. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050797

Chicago/Turabian Style

Puccinelli, Paulo J., Claudio A. B. de Lira, Rodrigo L. Vancini, Pantelis T. Nikolaidis, Beat Knechtle, Thomas Rosemann, and Marilia S. Andrade. 2022. "The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes" Healthcare 10, no. 5: 797. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050797

APA Style

Puccinelli, P. J., de Lira, C. A. B., Vancini, R. L., Nikolaidis, P. T., Knechtle, B., Rosemann, T., & Andrade, M. S. (2022). The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes. Healthcare, 10(5), 797. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050797

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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The Performance, Physiology and Morphology of Female and Male Olympic-Distance Triathletes

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