Author(s): HSU, F., SONG, T., WU, S., Institution: NATIONAL CHUNG CHENG UNIVERSITY, Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 150

Effects of Competitive Level and Gender on Visual Information Processing in Fencers
Introduction
This study aimed to compare visual information processing abilities of fencing athletes across different competitive levels and genders.
Method
A purposive sample was recruited, consisting of 22 collegiate-level A-group fencers (13 males, 9 females) and 15 collegiate-level B-group fencers (6 males, 9 females). Each participant completed GO/No-go response tasks and the Continuous Orientation Visual Attention Test (COVAT), administered using Stim Software. Outcome measures included GO response time, overall GO/No-go accuracy, COVAT accuracy, COVAT response time, and inhibitory control efficiency (ICE) response time. Two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine the effects of competitive level and gender, followed by Scheffé post hoc tests.
Results
In the GO/No-go tasks, no significant differences were observed across competitive levels or genders. Similarly, no significant differences were found in COVAT accuracy. However, a significant gender effect emerged in COVAT response time for the non-dominant hand. For inhibitory response time, significant effects of both level and gender were observed in the dominant hand, dominant foot, and non-dominant foot. Simple main effects analyses and post hoc comparisons revealed that female B-group athletes had shorter ICE response times than female A-group athletes. Among males, A-group athletes showed shorter ICE response times than B-group athletes, and overall, male athletes exhibited shorter ICE response times than females. Discussion
The findings suggest that training strategies can be tailored according to both competitive level and gender. For general-level athletes, interactive training with higher-level fencers may enhance coordination and execution speed. For elite-level athletes, training that emphasizes scenario-based drills and induction strategies may be particularly beneficial. In addition, female athletes may benefit from sparring with male athletes to improve reaction speed and minimize delays between target recognition and action execution.
Keywords: Visuospatial attention; Inhibitory response time; Visual information processing in fencing