Age at peak competitive performance in Judo: A comparison between Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Abstract

This study examined the age at peak competitive performance among judo athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic (OG) and Paralympic Games (PG), considering sex, weight category, competition results, and sport classes (for PG). Data from 378 OG and 146 PG athletes were collected from the Official Result Books. Chronological age was calculated based on birth date and competition date. Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests were used to test the difference between groups. Results showed that PG athletes peaked at a significantly older age (median: 31 years) than OG athletes (median: 27 years; p < 0.001). This pattern was held across sex, competition result, and weight categories (p < 0.05). Within the PG group, athletes in J1 sport class (i.e., fully blind) reached peak performance later (median: 33 years) than athletes in J2 (i.e., partially sighted; median: 28 years, p < 0.05), especially among males, medalists, and heavier weight categories. No significant sex-based differences were found in either the OG or PG groups (p > 0.05). The findings suggest that differences at the age of competitive performance between OG and PG athletes may be attributed to distinct developmental pathways. PG athletes, in particular, may delay specialization due to later sport entry and classification-related factors, setting them apart from their OG counterparts. These findings highlight the need for individualized and inclusive long-term development strategies in judo, considering the particularities of each discipline.