Big data can very generally be defined as a technology that manages and analyzes large amounts of data with the purpose of providing conclusions that are useful for decision-making.
It is a technology that can be applied in many fields, such as education, and many examples can be found.
We recently analyzed the importance of technology use in sports in this blog. Well, today we will focus on big data technology and its application especially in his two sports: tennis and badminton.
On the one hand, from the training point of view, the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, and on the other hand, from the point of view of an established sportswoman, the Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marin.
The technology revolution we are experiencing, of which big data is a part, is changing the way sport is changing, from performance and competition strategy to the digitization of facilities and equipment, to improved broadcasting and expanded possibilities for fan interaction. It helps strengthen many aspects. .
Tennis and Big Data: The Rafa Nadal Academy Experience by Movistar
Telefónica offers its technological know-how in Movistar's Rafa Nadal Academy by combining smart devices, connectivity and data management with big data and artificial intelligence.
As Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, Telefónica's Open Gateway Product Manager, explains, Movistar's Rafa Nadal Academy has a platform that integrates the data of each student in the academy.
To add even more value to the data stored on this 360 platform, there are wristbands for examining sleep quality, which is particularly important for athletes, for example.
Badminton and big data: The importance of data for Carolina Marin
Three-time world badminton champion and six-time European champion Carolina Marin uses an analysis tool based on three key components:
- Huge database with all match events recorded every second.
- Latest machine learning algorithms.
- Advanced and intuitive interactive visualizations do not require complex knowledge for analysis and allow you to interact with the tool in an easy way.
The data captured is in the millions and comes from three sources:
- Digitize all the points that occur in the match, both Carolina's own points and those of her rivals.
- Accelerometer that allows monitoring of training load.
- Her subjective form of recovery and rest.
Carolina Marin: “Big data can help you grow as an athlete.”
But how does the Huelva champion view this relationship with technology?
In her own words, “Big data helps me grow as an athlete and a sportswoman because it gives me information that I didn't have before.”
It also supports your ability to prevent injury. Because “it gives information to the team: whether I have recovered, whether I am ready to withstand the load that the coach has prepared for me on the day of training, etc.” The data “helps us know more about our rivals” and makes players feel “more of it.”