Swimming is defined as a sport performed in water, where individual performance is paramount and requires a high level of physical and cognitive competence. Athletes must effectively utilize their physical capacity as well as their emotional and cognitive processes in short but intense competition conditions.
Emotional regulation encompasses the process of managing an individual's emotions in terms of their timing, intensity, and expression. Swimmers use cognitive and behavioral strategies to functionally manage their emotional responses during training and competition. Strategies such as cognitive re-evaluation, attention redirection, and cognitive flexibility stand out as fundamental processes supporting the continuity and consistency of performance.
The relationship between emotional regulation and performance is influenced by psychological factors such as the athlete's motivation, self-efficacy perception, anxiety level, and attention capacity. The ability of athletes to effectively manage their emotional experiences increases the stability and quality of their performance outcomes. In this context, developing emotional regulation skills is critically important for success and psychological resilience in swimming.