Open AccessASSESSING TIME TRENDS IN SEX DIFFERENCES IN SWIMMING AND RUNNING
Author(s) -
Wainer Howard,
Njue Catherine,
Palmer Samuel J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
ets research report series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.235
H-Index - 5
ISSN - 2330-8516
DOI - 10.1002/j.2333-8504.2000.tb01828.x
Subject(s) - measure (data warehouse) , event (particle physics) , statistics , psychology , econometrics , demography , computer science , mathematics , data mining , physics , quantum mechanics , sociology
ABSTRACT Men and women perform at different levels in athletics. In swimming and running races men are almost always faster. Over the past century the differences observed between men and women have been shrinking. This shrinkage seems to have been more dramatic at longer distances. In this article we examine the time trends in these differences by event through examination of world records and Olympic performances. We show that in running, using one sensible measure, women seem to be nearer men's performances in sprints than in distance races; in swimming the reverse is true. This measure provides better predictive inferences than the typical alternatives.