Pacing strategies have been investigated for elite-standard freestyle swimmers, but little is known about pacing in age-group freestyle swimmers. We investigated changes in swimming time across distances in 4,481 women and men swimmers who competed in 100, 200, 400, and 800 m freestyle age groups from 25-29 years to 90-94 years in the FINA World Masters Championships 2014. In 100 to 800 m, there was a small lap×sex interaction (P < 0.001, 0.033 = ?2 = 0.045) whereby women had larger lap-to-lap changes in swimming time than men. From 100 to 800 m, there were moderate to large lap×age group interactions (P < 0.001, 0.054 = ?2 = 0.235), i.e., pacing patterns differed by age groups. There were small main effects of lap on time in 100, 200, 400 and 800 m freestyle events (P < 0.001, 0.033 = ?2 = 0.045). In summary, (i) the largest increase in swimming time occurred during the second lap and a decrease in time occurred during the last lap, except in the 100 m, and (ii) the effect of participants` sex on lap time indicated larger percentage changes of pacing in women than in men. These findings should help coaches to develop age- and event-tailored pacing strategies.
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