Assessment of the role of innovations in increasing the performance of Ukrainian athletes in the international arena

Abstract

Over the past decades, world sports practice has undergone significant changes, in particular in approaches to planning the training process, which is due to the constant increase in requirements for the level of competitive training and performance of athletes. It actualizes the need to modernize the training system by implementing innovative solutions. The purpose of the article was to determine the role of innovative technologies in increasing the performance of Ukrainian athletes in the international arena. Methods. To achieve the set goal, general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, systematization of scientific sources, and generalization were used. The results of the study indicate that the key areas of implementing innovative technologies in the process of training athletes, in particular, their education and training, are the digitalization of individual components of training activities, the use of innovative sports equipment, and the integration of analytical platforms and biometric monitoring systems. The main groups of innovative technologies are identified and characterized. It was found that, taking into account the specifics of individual sports, specialized digital tools (trackers, wearable sensors, smart bracelets) are being created that help increase the efficiency of the training process. The importance of visualization technologies for educational material is emphasized, as they contribute to a deeper understanding of complex theoretical concepts and technical elements that are fundamental for the training of athletes. It was determined that modern information technologies for biomechanical analysis of movements significantly improve sports training. Biomechanical trackers and sensors make it possible to measure the kinematics of movement, speed and effort, which allows obtaining in-depth information about the features of motor actions. Thanks to the use of high-precision optical markers and cameras for video recording, it is possible to assess in detail the kinematics of an athlete's movements and measure the speed and angular characteristics of joints. It was noted that a vivid example of increasing the performance of Ukrainian athletes in the international arena is the successful performances of representatives of individual sports that combine traditional sports training with the use of modern innovative technologies. Conclusions. It is concluded that innovations transform the training of athletes into a systematic, scientifically based process capable of ensuring a stable increase in performance at the highest level of competitions. However, despite positive trends, the introduction of innovations into sports training in Ukraine faces several challenges (uneven technical support of sports facilities, limited access to modern digital platforms, and a shortage of qualified personnel), which require a systematic approach to their solution.