Previous experience, aerobic capacity and body composition are the best predictors for Olympic distance triathlon performance: Predictors in amateur triathlon The present study examines predictors for the entire competition time and the individual disciplines in a triathlon over the Olympic distance. Ninn-thirty male and six female triathlets were examined for anthropometric, physiological, genetic, training-related, clinical and circadian properties. The body composition, the maximum capacity for oxygen uptake, the maximum aerobic speed, the anaerobic threshold, the triathlon experience and the genotype for α-actinin 3 influenced the entire competition time. The entire competition time can be predicted with the maximum aerobic speed, the triathlon experience and the percentage of lean mass. Swimming can be predicted by the maximum aerobic speed, the triathlon experience and the anaerobic threshold. Cycling can be predicted on the basis of the maximum aerobic speed, the triathlon experience and percentage of the lean mass. When running, the maximum aerobic speed was the only parameter that was present in the best multiple linear regression model.
The most important variables in several regression models for the estimation of performance were the maximum aerobic speed, the triathlon experience, the anaerobic threshold and the percentage of lean mass. The study can be found under https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32738318/