How Germany’s Paralympic Swim Team Optimizes Athlete Training with VO2 Master

At the Para Swimming Academy in Potsdam, the German Paralympic Swim Team has been using VO2 Master to optimize athlete training.

Guided by Coach Maik Zeh, two exceptional athletes, Verena Schott and Gina Böttcher, have been harnessing portable metabolic analysis and in-depth data to refine their approach and enhance performance. 

Here’s a closer look at how VO2 Master has played a role in their journey.

Verena Schott: A Multi-Stroke Talent with an Aerobic Edge

Verena is a three-time Paralympic bronze medalist from Tokyo 2021 and an 11-time world championship medalist. 

Her versatility across backstroke, breaststroke, and individual medley events has earned her numerous international accolades. 

Despite facing incomplete paralysis due to a cycling accident at a young age, she continues to dominate in the pool. 

This year, at the European Championships in April, Verena clinched two gold medals (100m breaststroke, 50m butterfly), one silver (200m individual medley), and one bronze medal (200m individual medley).

Challenges and Insights

At the Paris Paralympic Games, Verena placed 5th in the 100m breaststroke after limited preparation. 

To better understand her fitness levels and optimize her training, Coach Maik and the team employed VO2 Master during two key sessions:

• Test 1: 8 x 200m backstroke step test followed by a 100m all-out effort
• Test 2: 3 x 4 x 50m race-pace backstroke

These tests measured VO2 levels, heart rate, and lactate multiple times throughout her training weeks. 

The primary goal was to provide precise recommendations for her training intensity across various speeds and energy systems.

Findings and Adjustments

Verena’s aerobic capacity and endurance base are remarkable, making standard lactate-level guidelines less applicable to her unique physiology. 

Her events range from the short, high-intensity 50m butterfly to the endurance-heavy 200m individual medley. 

Each stroke and distance demands specific focus. By using VO2 Master, the team identified nuanced insights to tailor Verena’s training to her needs, improving her performance potential across all events.

Gina Böttcher: A Rising Star in Paralympic Swimming

Gina is a 2024 Paralympic silver medalist in the 50m backstroke and a three-time gold medalist at the 2024 European Championships. 

Born with a longitudinal malformation in all four extremities, Gina excels in events such as the 50m backstroke and 150m individual medley. Her unique classification excludes the butterfly lap in the 200m individual medley.

Using VO2 Master to Conduct Testing for Improvement

To assess her fitness and establish a foundation for future preparations, Gina underwent two focused testing sessions with VO2 Master:

• Session 1: Two 150m individual medley efforts (one sub-maximal and one maximal)
• Session 2: 3 x 50m for each stroke in her medley (backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle) with 30-second rests, measuring VO2

Impact and Progress

The key objective with these tests was to analyze the impact of each stroke on her overall performance, particularly her breaststroke, which was identified as an area for improvement. 

Over five weeks of targeted training leading up to the Paralympic Games in Paris, Gina’s breaststroke split improved by 2%, and she shaved over two seconds off her total time from trials. 

Despite narrowly missing a medal by just three tenths of a second, her progress showcased the effectiveness of the tailored approach.

By integrating VO2 Master into their training regimen, Verena and Gina achieved significant insights into their fitness and performance. 

From enhancing stroke-specific training to fine-tuning energy systems, VO2 Master has proven to be an invaluable tool for optimizing Paralympic-level preparation. 

For these athletes, it’s not just about competing—it’s about pushing boundaries and achieving their personal bests.

Photo credits © Signe Ungernand