Paloić, R. et al.: Factor analysis of orld record holders in athletic decathlon Sport Science 10 (2017) Issue 1: 109-116 FACTOR ANALYSIS OF WORLD RECORD HOLDERS IN ATHLETIC DECATHLON Ratko Pavlović¹ and Kemal Idrizović² University of East Sarajevo, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Bosnia and Herzegovina University of Nikšić, Faculty for Sport and Physical Education, Montenegro Original scientific paper Abstract All-around competition is the only competition in which it does not matter whether the athlete is the first, the second or the last in a discipline. What matters is the total number of points, and a rounder competes against his/her personal capabilities and standards. Athletic all-around competitions are a series of consecutive athletic competitions divided in two days. Success is calculated by the sum score of all disciplines that are pointed due to the international athletic tables. The research included ten (10) is currently the world's best decathlete of all time until 2016. Aim of research was to carry out a factor analysis of the athletic decathlon world record holder in order to define factors (latent dimensions) that would determine the type of decathlon, or the so participation technical or motor discipline overall. Applying factor analysis in a defined area is extracted with a total of three factors explained about 75% of the common variance of. The first factor has exhausted 35.24% (pole vault, high jump, discus throw, 400m) and a set of common variance is defined as a type of jumper-thrower-runner. The second factor has exhausted 22.21% (100m; 110m hurdle) analyzed set and is defined as runners (sprinters) type athletes. The third factor has exhausted about 17% (long jump, 1500m) and is defined by a type of jumper-runner. Key words: decathlon, factors, athletic typology. Introduction Decathlon is a competition which is held over two grouping the disciplines: running (100m, 110mH, consecutive days and consists of ten track and field 400m and 1500m); jumping (LJ, HJ, PV); and events. Usually around 20 to 30 male athletes throwing (SP, JT, DT). However, these categories participate at one competition. The winner is the are unlikely to represent the groupings based upon athlete with the most cumulated points after the participants’ performance in the disciplines; and last event. The events are always tested in the indeed anecdotally decathletes are frequently following order: Day 1: 100m race, long jump, shot classified by speed and skill levels as either a put, high jump, 400m race; Day 2: 110m sprinter/jumper or a thrower/pole vaulter (Kenny, hurdles,discus, pole vault, javelin, 1500m race. The Sprevak, Sharp, & Boreham, 2005). Since 2001, procedure of measuring the performance depends the points have been calculated according to the on the event: For the track events, e.g., 100m, IAAF. For each of the ten events the resulting 400m, 110m hurdles, and 1500m, each athlete has points are rounded to zero decimal places. one attempt in order to obtain a valid time. The Theoretically, this points system should lead to an remaining field events are further divided into two equal weighting of all ten track and field events. groups: In long jump, shot put, discus, and javelin, However, after an empirical analysis Cox, & Dun every athlete has three attempts and his best result (2002) arrive at the conclusion that the current in each discipline will be taken for the later scoring. points system favors those athletes who do well at In high jump and pole vault, each athlete tries to the field events (Wimmer, Fenske, Pyrka, & jump over a horizontal bar. If he succeeds, the bar Fahrmeir (2011). Altogether, decathlon is a will be raised by 3 and 10 centimeters, combination of ten track and field events which respectively. If he fails, the bar remains at the measure sprint, jumping, throwing and technical same height for the next try. After three abilities of the athletes, as well as their endurance consecutive misses an athlete will be eliminated and mental strength. Thus, it is a complex task to and his best height will be taken for the later investigate fundamental determinants of decathlon scoring. If an athlete does not manage to achieve a performance (Idrizović, 2010; Pavlović, 2013). valid result in an event, he gains zero points in this Speed and strength (power) are of vital event but is allowed to continue the decathlon. The importance, and so it seems reasonable to conclude performance of each event is converted into a that successful combined event athletes must be points system developed by the International fast and strong. The predominant requirements of Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Woolf, the decathlete are mobility, skill, speed and Ansley, & Bidgood (2007). The principle of the explosive strength. The long term planning of scoring system is an attempt to reward combined events includes the planning of technique performances of equal merit across the different and strength conditioning. This concept is true for disciplines with equal points. Simplistically the athletes of all ages - whereby technique is dove- disciplines that make up the decathlon could be tailed with conditioning, but to varying degrees considered as providing three broad categories for depending on ages. 109 Paloić, R. et al.: Factor analysis of orld record holders in athletic decathlon Sport Science 10 (2017) Issue 1: 109-116 For younger athletes (13 to 15) during the years of but also the opportunity of differentiating the new early training, athletes should work on the simple model of decathlon competitors (Mandarić, & disciplines, ones that are more 'natural' to learn, Mandarić, 2016). Decathlon is the only competition such as sprinting, hurdling, long jump and high in which it does not matter if the athlete is not the jump. Later training (15 to 18 years) should include first, second or last in a discipline. What matters is more complex events such as shot, javelin and pole the total number of points, and a rounder competes vault events that are more demanding. Today the against own capabilities and standards. In most widely is used the combined system that consideration of efficiency of result achievements includes training of individual disciplines one after the most successful decathlon world 'score of another, simultaneous training of all disciplines with different levels and ages determined the presence an emphasis on training disciplines that are most of a specific and different predictive contribution suitable for the rounder. However, it is depending discipline decathlon total pointing score. A on the mental and physical quality of the athletes, comparative analysis of the dominant predictor had the health status of individuals, the period of sports found that disciplines whose outcome depends career, the period of the annual cycle. more on the technical efficiency performance than the level of training of basic motor abilities are the All competitors are necessary to have a consistently key determinant of the success of his score in the developed morphological-motoric-functional space decathlon (Bilić, Smajlović, & Balić, 2015). At the that is highly integrated into the cognitive-conative present time, can be noted better results in sprint potentials and will also ensure the achievement of disciplines, long jump, pole vault, so that in the high results of competitors. What is very important future we can expect progress in the decathlon but in the training process of rounders is their process also the opportunity of differentiating the new of transition from one discipline to the other which model of decathlon competitors (Mandarić & is a very complex task. During this process, at the Mandarić, 2016). beginning there is a quenching of already formed dynamic stereotypes that were created by the Because of these different contributions 'technical training and training of the prior discipline. and motor discipline' to the overall success of his score in the decathlon would be of importance to New training of a new discipline involves the analyze and determine the factor structure of the formation of new functional-motor structures that decathlon. On the basis of the so. latent dimensions will enable the best possible way in achieving the (factors) would give a fair view of the explanation success. Rounders always strive to improve their of the total variance discipline decathlon. On the personal results in those disciplines in which they basis of the results would have an insight into the lag behind either by personal or general criteria. A size of the contribution of technical and motor large number of specific movements that allow the discipline on the total placement in decathlon, ie. active connection of constituent elements of all- define a space or spaces kinesiology techniques as around competition and converting into a single the primary structure decathlon. Zatsiorsky, & structure is one of the main characteristics of the Godik, 1962. performed factor analysis (centroid training process of rounders (Pavlović 2013). Key method) of the decathlon performance in athletes factors in selection of decathletes: Body shape, participated in 1960 Olympic Games. The study was age, Physical quality, Training team management, motivated by the desire to determine a limited Large load training, And emphasis on strength and number of latent factors (‘motor abilities’) that technique in the late stage (Wang, & Lu, 2007). define success in decathlon and, as a consequence, to help coaches and athletes in designing optimal It is an indisputable fact that the decathlon training programs that take into consideration the competitor does not have to be remarkable in any inter-event similarity and possible transfer of part of the competition to be a champion in all ten, training results. but he must be good in the disciplines in which he is weaker and excels in disciplines that are his The authors analyzed the individual events as well forte.