Author(s): ZERDILA, D., ZACHARAKIS, E., APOSTOLIDIS, N., Institution: NATIONAL & KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS, Country: GREECE, Abstract-ID: 1031

INTRODUCTION:
The characteristics of the eye movements provide indirect access to cognitive processes, e.g., decision-making (1), attention (2), and memory (3). Table tennis is known as the fastest ball sport (Belli T., et al., 2019) and is ranked as one of the most demanding sports in the world (4). It also involves the use of highly complex and precise perceptual-motor skills. Eye tracking involves a psychophysiological method in order to investigate and find objective measures for identifying the progression of fatigue. And it is likely that the development of fatigue appears earlier in ophthalmometry than in physical or cognitive performance according to the duration of various tasks. And they have been accepted as sensitive measurements for the early detection of fatigue (1). Conclusively, the aim of the present study is to investigate and highlight possible differences in eye tracking parameters between elite and non-elite table tennis players.
METHODS:
Twenty-nine (29) male table tennis players (mage = 24.24, SD=4.65) participated in the study divided into two (2) groups. The apparatus that was used were the Argus Science Eye tracker ETVision (ETV) device, the FastPong system, a table tennis robot, and a Polar H10 to measure HR. The lactate levels were measured at rest and after the physical fatigue protocol. The subjects had a protocol of physical and mental fatigue. The quality and accuracy were assessed by the calibration system of the eye tracking devise. Statistical methods included multilevel modeling analyses.
RESULTS:
Statistically significant differences were revealed in performance parameter between the initial measure and the mental fatigue condition for all the participants. Furthermore, differences were revealed between the groups, with the elite athletes presenting better performance comparatively to the non-elite in mental fatigue. Also, significant differences were found in fixations duration parameter, which lasted longer when the hit was successful for the total of the sample (p<.05). Non-significant differences were revealed for the event duration and average fixations duration parameters.
CONCLUSION:
According to the results of the present study, both of the physical and mental fatigue affected the athletes’ performance, with the non-elite athletes to be more affected by the both types of fatigue. Furthermore, the results of the study highlight the importance of extended research in eye tracking parameters
[1] Zargari 2015/ [2] Hopstaken 2016/ [3] Marandi 2014/ [4] Tamaki 2017