It's a Long Way to the Top: Determinants of Developmental Pathways in Paralympic Sport

Jacqueline Martins Patatas; Jens De Rycke; Rafael Lima Kons; Veerle De Bosscher

doi:10.1123/apaq.2020-0147

It's a Long Way to the Top: Determinants of Developmental Pathways in Paralympic Sport

Jacqueline Martins Patatas, Jens De Rycke, Rafael Lima Kons, Veerle De Bosscher

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The literature suggests that the current athlete development models do not reflect the multifaceted developmental pathways in Paralympic sport. This study aimed to analyse how Para sport athletes progress through developmental phases of an athletic career pathway by comparing differences in their trajectories based on the nature of the impairment (acquired [AI] or congenital [CI]), age, and sex. A total of 345 Para athletes representing 15 sports completed an online survey. Results showed that the developmental phases for athletes with AI are of shorter duration, taking 4.5 years to progress from the attraction to the elite phase while athletes with CI take six years. Athletes with CI start in Para sport approximately eight years younger and win medals in international competitions seven years earlier than athletes with AI. Insights gathered in this study have the potential to enhance further thinking towards the genesis of specific models of Para athlete development.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	605-625
Number of pages	21
Journal	Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
Volume	38
Issue number	4
Early online date	2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2020-0147 https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2020-0147
Publication status	Published - Oct 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee for their support. The authors also thank the parasport athletes who participated in the study. Note.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Para sport
athletes with impairments
Para sport athlete development
Para sport models
Paralympics
SPLISS
PARA-SPLISS

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Cite this

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title = "It's a Long Way to the Top: Determinants of Developmental Pathways in Paralympic Sport",

abstract = "The literature suggests that the current athlete development models do not reflect the multifaceted developmental pathways in Paralympic sport. This study aimed to analyse how Para sport athletes progress through developmental phases of an athletic career pathway by comparing differences in their trajectories based on the nature of the impairment (acquired [AI] or congenital [CI]), age, and sex. A total of 345 Para athletes representing 15 sports completed an online survey. Results showed that the developmental phases for athletes with AI are of shorter duration, taking 4.5 years to progress from the attraction to the elite phase while athletes with CI take six years. Athletes with CI start in Para sport approximately eight years younger and win medals in international competitions seven years earlier than athletes with AI. Insights gathered in this study have the potential to enhance further thinking towards the genesis of specific models of Para athlete development.",

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author = "{Martins Patatas}, Jacqueline and {De Rycke}, Jens and Kons, {Rafael Lima} and {De Bosscher}, Veerle",

note = "Funding Information: The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient{\'i}fico e Tecnol{\'o}gico and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee for their support. The authors also thank the parasport athletes who participated in the study. Note. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Human Kinetics, Inc. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1123/apaq.2020-0147",

language = "English",

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AU - De Bosscher, Veerle

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee for their support. The authors also thank the parasport athletes who participated in the study. Note. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Human Kinetics, Inc. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/10

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AB - The literature suggests that the current athlete development models do not reflect the multifaceted developmental pathways in Paralympic sport. This study aimed to analyse how Para sport athletes progress through developmental phases of an athletic career pathway by comparing differences in their trajectories based on the nature of the impairment (acquired [AI] or congenital [CI]), age, and sex. A total of 345 Para athletes representing 15 sports completed an online survey. Results showed that the developmental phases for athletes with AI are of shorter duration, taking 4.5 years to progress from the attraction to the elite phase while athletes with CI take six years. Athletes with CI start in Para sport approximately eight years younger and win medals in international competitions seven years earlier than athletes with AI. Insights gathered in this study have the potential to enhance further thinking towards the genesis of specific models of Para athlete development.

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It's a Long Way to the Top: Determinants of Developmental Pathways in Paralympic Sport

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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OZR2750: International Joint Research Group - Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS)

Cite this

It's a Long Way to the Top: Determinants of Developmental Pathways in Paralympic Sport

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

OZR2750: International Joint Research Group - Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS)

Cite this