The aim of this study was to understand the interactions between anthropomet-
ric, kinetic, and kinematic variables and how they determine the 100 m freestyle
performance in young swimmers. Twenty-five adolescent swimmers (15 male
and 10 female, aged 15.75 ± 1.01 years) who regularly participated in regional and
national competitions were recruited. The 100 m freestyle performance was cho-
sen as the variable to be predicted. A series of anthropometric (hand surface area–
HSA), kinetic (thrust and active drag coefficient (CDA)), and kinematic (stroke
length (SL); stroke frequency (SF), and swimming speed) variables were meas-
ured. Structural equation modeling (via path analysis) was used to develop and
test the model. The initial model predicted performance with 90.1% accuracy. All
paths were significant (p < 0.05) except the thrust—SL. After deleting this non-
significant path (thrust—SL) and recalculating, the model goodness-of- fit im-
proved and all paths were significant (p < 0.05). The predicted performance was
90.2%. Anthropometrics had significant effects on kinetics, which had significant
effects on kinematics, and consequently on the 100 m freestyle performance. The
cascade of interactions based on this path-flow model allowed for a meaningful
prediction of the 100 m freestyle performance. Based on these results, coaches and
swimmers should be aware that the swimming predictors can first meaningfully
interact with each other to ultimately predict the 100 m freestyle performance.
