WILL ELEVATING THE DIFFICULTY SCORES IMPROVE THE ODDS OF WINNING? THE CASE OF ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS EVENT FINALS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the difficulty (D) scores and final scores between the qualification round and event finals round for each apparatus in 2018–2020 Individual Apparatus World Cup Series and 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. It was also to examine the association between strategy of D scores and winning a medal or not. Both male and female gymnasts who participated the event finals in 2018–2020 Apparatus World Cup Series and 2019 World Championships were the subject of present investigation. The dependent t test was used to analyze the difficulty scores and final scores. The Chi-square test was selected to test the numbers of distribution of increasing/non-increasing of difficulty scores and wining/losing a medal, and the odds ratio was also calculated. It shows that in all apparatus, there were meaningful difference in D scores between the qualification round and event finals round for both male and female gymnasts. The final scores of event finals round were significantly decreased as compared with the qualification round in men’s pommel horse, horizontal bar and women’s balance beam, floor exercise events. To elevate D scores in the event finals round of men’s pommel horse, horizontal bar and women’s floor exercise could significantly improve the odds for getting a medal. To our knowledge, this was the first study to compare the gymnast’s performance between the qualification and event finals. And we also determine the different D scores and the odds ratio of winning a medal in the event finals. When studying men’s pommel horse, horizontal bar and women’s balance beam, floor exercise events, it was prone to underestimate the scores if only the result of event finals was analyzed but without the qualification. Elevating D scores was not always guaranteed to increase the chance of winning. Coaches and gymnasts could refer to the current study to draw up the strategies for different competitions.