Sprinters

The aim of the study was to describe the relationship between success in junior and senior categories in sprint events. An observational and longitudinal analysis was carried out using rankings of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation database. We analysed 547 sprinters (238 women and 309 men) from their U14 to senior stage who ranked in top-20 on at least one occasion during the period 2004 to 2021. The first entry in top-20 occurred mostly in U14 (44.4%, 243), and the frequency was progressively lower: 26...

Thome, M, Thorpe, RT, Jordan, MJ, and Nimphius, S. Validity of global positioning system (GPS) technology to measure maximum velocity sprinting in elite sprinters. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2438-2442, 2023-The objective of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of 10-Hz wearable Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to measure maximum velocity sprinting (Vmax) relative to Doppler radar in elite sprinters. Data were collected from a single training session performed by elite 100 and 200 m sprinters (males: n = 5; 100 m best times: 10...

Stavridis, I, Ekizos, A, Zisi, M, Agilara, G-O, Tsolakis, C, Terzis, G, and Paradisis, G. The effects of heavy resisted sled pulling on sprint mechanics and spatiotemporal parameters. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2346-2353, 2023-This study examines the effects of 2 resisted sled sprinting (RSS) training programs: with a load corresponding to the running velocity associated with the apex of the individual velocity-power relationship (50%vdec), with a load equal to 10% of body mass (10% BM), and of an unresisted sprint training (URS)...

Maximal sprinting in humans requires the contribution of various muscle-tendon units (MTUs) and joints to maximize performance. The plantar flexor MTU and ankle joint are of particular importance due to their role in applying force to the ground. This narrative review examines the contribution of the ankle joint and plantar flexor MTUs across the phases of sprinting (start, acceleration, and maximum velocity), alongside the musculotendinous properties that contribute to improved plantar flexor MTU performance...

INTRODUCTION: Hamstring injuries are the most prevalent non-contact soft tissue injury in sports, with a larger portion of injuries being recurrent. The sagittal plane running kinematics correlated to hamstring injury history has been well documented. However, analysis of frontal plane kinematics allows for observation of stability and symmetry. This study aimed to examine the frontal plane running kinematics of elite collegiate level sprinters, with and without previous hamstring injury, compared to healthy counterparts...

Anthropometric parameters are crucial prerequisite to achieve success in professional running sports. However, it is not clear how these parameters are relevant for athletes performing on a less demanding sport level as academic competitions. To help coaches and selectors working on this level, we have explored anthropometric variables and body composition in 68 academic athletes: 26 sprinters, 22 middle distance runners, and 20 long distance runners. Sprinters have a more massive body shape, shorter lower legs in relation to the length of the thigh, broader shoulders and narrower hips, greater musculature and cellular mass...

The anaerobic capacity (AC[La]+EPOCfast ) method is of interest as it can differentiate between the contributions of phosphocreatine(PCr) and glycolytic energy, assess the anaerobic metabolism during a single effort, and evaluate various exercise modalities. However, no previous studies have investigated whether the superiority of the PCr and glycolytic systems can be assessed in athletes with high anaerobic capacity. This study aimed to compare the AC[La]+EPOCfast method in seven sprinters (SP) and seven middle-distance runners (MD)...

This study aimed to demonstrate the differences in spatiotemporal and ground reaction force (GRF) variables during overground sprinting between performance levels for female and male sprinters with providing normative data during the entire acceleration phase. Forty-four female and 102 male sprinters performed 60-m sprints, during which the spatiotemporal and GRF variables were obtained using a long force platform system. Female and male sprinters were each allocated into four groups based on their maximal speed (7...

The aims were to compare predicted maximal velocity from load-velocity relationships established with different resisted and assisted loads by different regression analyses to the measured maximal velocity during sprint running, and to compare maximal velocity measured between a robotic pulley system and laser gun. Sixteen experienced male sprinters performed regular 50 m sprints, a 50 m with 5-kilogram-assisted sprint, and 10, 20, 30, and 30 m resisted sprints with, respectively, 65, 50, 25, and 10% calculated reduction in maximal velocity...

INTRODUCTION: Comparison of the neuromuscular performance of different athlete types may give insight into the in-vivo variability of these measures and their underpinning mechanisms. The study aims to compare the neuromuscular function of the plantar flexors of sprinters and physically active individuals to assess any differences in explosive force performance. METHODS: Neuromuscular performance of a group of sprinters (highly trained/national level, n = 12; elite/international level, n = 2) and physically active individuals (n = 14) were assessed during involuntary, explosive, and maximum voluntary isometric plantar flexions, across different muscle-tendon unit (MTU) lengths (10° plantarflexion (PF), 0° (anatomical zero/neutral, AZ), and 10° dorsiflexion (DF))...

Since publication of this paper (Royal Society open science, 2022. 9 (1): p. 211799), the authors have published a correction clarifying that the paper presents a case study that '… did not meet the definition for research with regard to human subjects'. The data are incorrectly referred to as experimental because the study has no experimental control. Furthermore, the paper has been presented previously but the version presented here selectively omits several analyses, posing a significant risk of bias...

Krzysztof, K, Aleksander, M, Adam, Z, and Krzysztofik, M. Sprint resisted and assisted priming for peak performance. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2354-2361, 2023-This study aimed to investigate resisted and assisted sprint, or a combination of both, as a conditioning activity (CA) on creatine kinase activity, biceps femoris stiffness, postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE), and priming in a sprint. Ten female sprinters (age: 20.1 ± 2.3 years, body mass: 56.4 ± 4.2 kg, body height: 171 ± 5 cm, training experience: 5...

UNLABELLED: An elite athlete's status is associated with a multifactorial phenotype depending on many environmental and genetic factors. Of course, the peculiarities of the structure and function of skeletal muscles are among the most important characteristics in the context of athletic performance. PURPOSE: To study the associations of SNV rs1815739 (C577T or R577X) allelic variants and genotypes of the ACTN3 gene with qualification and competitive distance in Caucasian athletes of the Southern Urals...

Regular physical activity is considered one of the most valid tools capable of reducing the risk of onset of many diseases in humans. However, it is known that intense physical activity can induce high levels of genomic damage, while moderate exercise can elicit a favorable adaptive response by the organism. We evaluated, by the buccal micronuclei assay, the frequencies of micronuclei, nuclear buds and binucleated cells in a sample of amateur athletes practicing different disciplines, comparing the obtained data with those of subjects who practiced sports just occasionally and subjects that did not practice sport at all...

Introduction: This study aimed to determine if adjusting the loads via velocity-based training (VBT) in each session is more efficient in monitoring the relative intensity than programming loads assessing 1RM pre-training. Methods: To achieve this, six national level sprinters were randomly divided into two groups, i.e., adjusting loads (AL, n = 3) and not adjusting loads (NAL, n = 3), during twelve sessions of a squat training (ST) program. During this training intervention, the AL group adjusted the intensity for each session in the squat exercise depending on the speed the load was lifted after warmup...

Plyometric training is extensively used by coaches to enhance neuromuscular performance in a wide variety of sports. Due to the high demands of sprint speed and power output in elite sprinters and jumpers, sprint and jump coaches are likely to have great knowledge on this topic. Undoubtedly, this expertise is even more pronounced for Olympic coaches, who work with some of the fastest and most powerful athletes in the world, and who are required to continually maintain these athletes at optimal performance levels...

The relative age effect (RAE) is a selection bias resulting from the interaction between the selected dates and birthdates. Nevertheless, the impact of birthdate on the junior-to-senior transition in international track and field is unclear. This study aimed to quantify the RAE's magnitude and test if birthdate affects the junior-to-senior transition rate. The birthdate and performances of 5,766 sprinters (female: 51.0%) and 5,863 jumpers (female: 45.9%) were collected. Elite athletes (operationally defined as the World's all-time Top 200, 100 and 50 athletes) were identified according to Under 18 and Senior categories...

Hurdle jumps are frequently practiced in the field of sports training. The present study aimed to clarify the effect of hurdle heights on jumping height and joint kinematics, and kinetics during hurdle jumps. Ten male Japanese trainee sprinters performed at three heights (0.76, 0.91 and 1.06 m) of hurdle jumps and maximum countermovement jump (CMJ). Sagittal plane kinematics and ground reaction force were measured. Jump height significantly increased with hurdle heights ( η p 2  = 0...

Remmel, L, Ben-Zaken, S, Meckel, Y, Nemet, D, Eliakim, A, and Jürimäe, J. The genetic basis of decathlon performance: an exploratory study. J Strength Cond Res 37(8): 1660-1666, 2023-Decathlon is a combined track and field competition consisting of 10 different events, most of which are anaerobic-type events. Therefore, it is assumed that an anaerobic genetic predisposition might be prevalent among decathletes. Yet, to the best of our knowledge, the genetic basis of decathlon performance had not been studied...

Pea ( Pisum sativum L.) is a widely cultivated legume of major importance for global food security and agricultural sustainability. Crenate broomrape ( Orobanche crenata Forsk.) (Oc) is a parasitic weed severely affecting legumes, including pea, in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East. Previously, the identification of the pea line "ROR12", displaying resistance to Oc, was reported. Two-year field trials on a segregant population of 148 F7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), originating from a cross between "ROR12" and the susceptible cultivar "Sprinter", revealed high heritability (0...