Training Conditions and Emotional Impact on Spanish Olympic Swimmers and Rowers in Social Isolation Due to COVID-19. Results of a Survey

Abstract

This article analyzes the results of a survey conducted in 2020 with Spanish Olympic swimmers and rowers, who were confined to their homes due to the epidemiological crisis. The questionnaire was administered between 23 April and 25 May. Responses to the questionnaire on emotional and adaptive reactions during the COVID-19 confinement (REACOVID-19) were received from 88 subjects, who represented 100% of the total population of Spanish Olympic swimmers and rowers. Through this questionnaire, they were asked about their living conditions, their daily training habits and their psychological, cognitive and emotional adaptation during the confinement. The results show the commitment of these athletes to their sports goals and their responsibility in respecting the confinement rules. Sixty-seven per cent of them stated that they had not left their homes for 96 days. In these extreme circumstances, the majority trained an average of 11 to 13 h a week and coped with the confinement with a positive attitude, in spite of the inconveniences of social isolation, the lack of equipment and technical support for training and the limitations of their physical space. The article analyzes which emotional and social factors influenced both their motivation and their hours of training.