Comparison between physical fitness of male and female Brazilian Optimist sailors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-0037.2026v28e108675Keywords:
Water Sports, Physical fitness, Body compositionAbstract
The Optimist is a sailing class for children and adolescents aged 8 to 15 years old, considered the initiation in the sport. However, there is limited scientific literature on the physical fitness of these athletes, particularly concerning sex differences. This study aimed to describe the anthropometric and physical fitness profile of Brazilian sailors in the Optimist class and compare variables between sexes. Data were collected on the eve of the Selective Championship for International Competitions in Salvador, BA, including measurements of body circumferences, anthropometry, handgrip strength, medicine ball throw, vertical jump with countermovement, and flexibility of the adductors and dorsiflexion. Sixty athletes (N = 60) were evaluated, with 18 females. Results showed significant differences between sexes in body fat percentage (p < 0.001), arm muscle area (p = 0.001), and waist circumference (p = 0.028). No significant differences were observed in the other variables. It is concluded that the anthropometric profile of Optimist athletes exhibits sex differences, highlighting the importance of conducting further studies to investigate other variables and compare performance between males and females.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ana Luiza Rêgo Dias, Anderson Leandro Peres Campos, Daniell Lima Costa Muniz
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
