Tactical Behaviors in Men's and Women's Middle-Distance Global Championship Track Finals.

Purpose: To analyze tactical behaviors associated with performance in track middle-distance global championship finals.

Methods: Finalists' season-best finishing race time, 100-m section times, and intermediate positions were obtained from 800- and 1500-m men's and women's finals in 2 Olympic Games and 5 World Championships. Differences between medalists, fourth- to eighth-ranked (T8), and ninth- to 12th/13th-ranked finalists in relative performance (relative to season-best), race time, and section times were determined. Pearson correlations between intermediate position and section speed with final position and probability of winning a medal at each race point were calculated.

Results: A very high correlation was found between intermediate and final position at the first 100 m in the women's 800-m (r = .84; P = .008), which was maintained throughout the race. Medalists were relatively faster than T8 in men's and women's 800-m finals (P = .006; d = 0.87, and P = .039; d = 0.59, respectively). Differences in relative performance between groups in 1500-m finals appeared at the end of the race, although they arose earlier in women's races. The probability of winning a medal decreased with lower intermediate positions, especially in the latest race stages.

Conclusions: A high intermediate position, as well as the ability to run fast in the latest race stages, seems critical to medaling in track middle-distance global championship finals. The abilities to adopt leading positions for the whole 800-m event and to generate an end spurt relatively faster than the rest of competitors in the 1500-m event are critical.