TY - JOUR
T1 - Do handcycling time-trial velocities achieved by para-cycling athletes vary across handcycling classes?
AU - Muchaxo, Rafael E.A.
AU - de Groot, Sonja
AU - van der Woude, Lucas H.V.
AU - Janssen, Thomas W.J.
AU - Nooijen, Carla
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - The classification system for handcycling groups athletes into five hierarchical classes, based on how much their impairment affects performance. Athletes in class H5, with the least impairments, compete in a kneeling position, while athletes in classes H1 to H4 compete in a recumbent position. This study investigated the average time-trial velocity of athletes in different classes. A total of 1,807 results from 353 athletes who competed at 20 international competitions (2014–2018) were analyzed. Multilevel regression was performed to analyze differences in average velocities between adjacent pairs of classes, while correcting for gender, age, and event distance. The average velocity of adjacent classes was significantly different (p <.01), with higher classes being faster, except for H4 and H5. However, the effect size of the differences between H3 and H4 was smaller (d = 0.12). Hence, results indicated a need for research in evaluating and developing evidence-based classification in handcycling, yielding a class structure with meaningful performance differences between adjacent classes.
AB - The classification system for handcycling groups athletes into five hierarchical classes, based on how much their impairment affects performance. Athletes in class H5, with the least impairments, compete in a kneeling position, while athletes in classes H1 to H4 compete in a recumbent position. This study investigated the average time-trial velocity of athletes in different classes. A total of 1,807 results from 353 athletes who competed at 20 international competitions (2014–2018) were analyzed. Multilevel regression was performed to analyze differences in average velocities between adjacent pairs of classes, while correcting for gender, age, and event distance. The average velocity of adjacent classes was significantly different (p <.01), with higher classes being faster, except for H4 and H5. However, the effect size of the differences between H3 and H4 was smaller (d = 0.12). Hence, results indicated a need for research in evaluating and developing evidence-based classification in handcycling, yielding a class structure with meaningful performance differences between adjacent classes.
KW - Average velocity
KW - Classification
KW - Handbike
KW - Multilevel analysis
KW - Paralympics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092902125&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85092902125&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1123/apaq.2019-0143
DO - 10.1123/apaq.2019-0143
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85092902125
SN - 0736-5829
VL - 37
SP - 461
EP - 480
JO - Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
JF - Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
IS - 4
ER -