Tvillinger i toppidrett – prestasjonsfremmende? : En kvalitativ analyse av tre tvillingpar i håndball på internasjonalt nivå
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to identify performance-enhancing factors amongst twins in elite
sport. It is well documented that the familial context plays a role in sporting activity and
development, but there is little research on how siblings and twins interact with achievement
progress in sports. The informants were six Norwegian women, all twins, between 26 and 36
years of age, where everyone is or has been on a high international level in women's handball.
Several of the performers are merited, with titles at both club and international level, through
participation in the Champions League, European Championships, World Championships and
Olympics. By using a semi-structured interview-guide, in-depth interviews with the
informants are conducted. The data collection is based on qualitative methods, and the
practitioners' experiences are phenomenologically analyzed. After the interviews were
completed and structured, it turned out that there were three main categories that emerged:
"Sibling relationship", "family structure" and "motivation". The results show that athletes
describe the relationship with her twin sister as important for success in elite sport, through
support, training, common goals and motivation. The informants describe dual relationship as
a mutually dependent relationship, where they jointly push each other forward to achievement
progress. Similarity in age means that they have experienced common development and
progress, and there is reason to believe that it is a factor that may have contributed positively
for the athletes. This study adds new knowledge to the field, and could pave the way for more
research on how siblings are mutually interrelated in elite sport.
Keywords: Twins, elite sport, performance-enhancing, support, qualitative interviews
Description
Masteroppgave idrettsvitenskap ME517 - Universitetet i Agder 2017