Studying data structures improves competitive programming skills by providing tools to organize and process data efficiently, which is essential for solving problems under time constraints. For example, understanding arrays, linked lists, stacks, and queues allows you to implement simple solutions quickly, while trees, graphs, and hash tables support more complex operations like searches, retrieval, and connections between data points. Each structure has its strengths, so knowing which one to use saves valuable time and avoids unnecessary complexity. Mastering data structures also enables faster problem-solving by reducing the time needed for data retrieval and manipulation, often leading to optimized solutions that can handle large inputs within constraints. By practicing problems specific to each data structure, competitive programmers build an intuition for when and how to apply them, making their approach more effective and increasing their ability to tackle a wide range of challenges.