Correlation between physical matureness and sprint performance in young track and field athletes

INTRODUCTION: Sprint performance is a key factor in both track and field and team sports. Young athletes with the same age display large variability in terms of physical matureness, which may impact performance. This study aims to investigate the relationship between physical development and sprint performance in young track and field athletes. METHODS: 8 male track and field athletes (age 14.1±0.7 years, height 1.60±0.08 m, weight 51.1±9.7 kg) took part in present study. Mechanical effectiveness (DRF), Velocity (V0), total and relative force and power (F0t, F0r, Pt, Pr) were assessed for each participant over a 20 m sprint using Samozino’s method (Samozino et al. 2016). Relationship between those variables and maturity offset (MO) (Mirwald et al. 2002) and height reached in countermovement jump with free arms (CMJa), measured using a photocell system (Optojump, Microgate, Bolzano, Italy), were investigated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient after normality check. RESULTS: CMJa is inversely correlated with sprint performance over 20 m (r=-0.732, p=0.039) and directly correlated with V0 (r=0.848, p=0.008). MO is linearly correlated to 20 m and V0 (r=-0.789, p= 0.020 and r=0.743, p=0.035, respectively), besides to F0t (r=0.918, p=0.001), Pt (r=0.942, p=0.000) and Pr (r=0.821, p=0.012). CONCLUSION: Evidence from this study confirms that a strong correlation between jump and sprint performance stands, as was reported in adult sprinters (Kale et al. 2009). This study informs that MO is equally correlated to sprint times as CMJa and is also powerful at predicting F0t, Pt, and Pr (R=84%, R=88%, R=67%). From those findings it can be understood how physical matureness influences force and power capabilities in youths and therefore sprint performance. Conversely, mechanical effectiveness is not correlated to MO. Those findings show how, while total force produced could be dependent on physical matureness, the ability to apply this force effectively into the ground is not. These results help better understand underlying factors affecting sprint performance and lead selection and training practice. REFERENCES: Kale, M., A. Asci, C. Bayrak, and C. Acikada. 2009. “Relationships among Jumping Performances and Sprint Parameters during Maximum Speed Phase in Sprinters.” J Strength Cond Res 23(8):2272–79. Mirwald, Robert L., Adam D. G. Baxter-Jones, Donald A. Bailey, and Gaston P. Beunen. 2002. “An Assessment of Maturity from Anthropometric Measurements.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 34(4):689–94. Samozino, P. et al. 2016. “A Simple Method for Measuring Power, Force, Velocity Properties, and Mechanical Effectiveness in Sprint Running.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 26(6):648–58.