Physiological Determinants of 40-Meter Sprint Performance in Young Male Athletes

Abstract

This study examined 20 male athletes on a number of physiological variables to determine which may account for the most variation in 40-m sprint performance. The athletes were tested on 40-m sprint, 10-m sprint, a 5-step jump, vertical jump, Wingate anaerobic cycle power, and isokinetic peak torque of the knee and hip at speeds of 1.05, 3.14, and 7.85 rad · sec−1 and ankle at speeds of 1.05, 3.14, and 5.24 rad · sec−1. With R = 0.897 (p ≤ 0.05) and SEE = 0.151 (sec), the 10-m sprint and ankle dorsiflexion peak torque at 5.24 rad · sec−1 were identified as predictors of 40-m sprint performance. With the 10-m sprint removed as an independent variable, stepwise multiple regression was performed again. With R = 0.909 and SEE = 0.146 sec, the 5-step jump, knee flexion peak torque at 7.85 rad · sec−1, and ankle plantar flexion peak torque at 1.05 rad · sec−1 were identified as predictors of 40-m sprint performance. The results indicate that both 10-m sprint and 5-step jump can be used to predict 40-m sprint performance.