摘要：Highlights
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Four split times can model velocity-time and velocity-distance curves accurately during acceleration in elite male sprinters.
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Maximum velocity was negatively associated with all 20-m sections of a 100-m sprint in addition to overall sprint time.
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The acceleration time constant indicates how effectively sprinters accelerate relative to their maximum velocity over 40 m.
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The acceleration time constant was positively associated with 100-m sprint time after controlling for maximum velocity.
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No association was found between maximum velocity and the percentage of maximum velocity lost during the final 20 m of a 100-m race.
Purpose
This study aimed to determine the accuracy of a 4 split time modelling method to generate velocity-time and velocity-distance variables in elite male 100-m sprinters and subsequently to assess the roles of key sprint parameters with respect to 100-m sprint performance. Additionally, this study aimed to assess the differences between faster and slower sprinters in key sprint variables that have not been assessed in previous work.
Methods
Velocity-time and velocity-distance curves were generated using a mono-exponential function from 4 split times for 82 male sprinters during major athletics competitions. Key race variables—maximum velocity, the acceleration time constant (τ), and percentage of velocity lost (
v
Loss)—were derived for each athlete. Athletes were divided into tertiles, based on 100-m time, with the first and third tertiles considered to be the faster and slower groups, respectively, to facilitate further analysis.
Results
Modelled split times and velocities displayed excellent accuracy and close agreement with raw measures (range of mean bias was –0.2% to 0.2%, and range of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) was 0.935 to 0.999) except for 10-m time (mean bias was 1.6% ± 1.3%, and the ICC was 0.600). The 100-m sprint performance time and all 20-m split times had a significant near-perfect negative correlation with maximum velocity (
r ≥ –0.90) except for the 0 to 20-m split time, where a significantly large negative correlation was found (
r = –0.57). The faster group had a significantly higher maximum velocity and τ (
p < 0.001), and no significant difference was found for
v
Loss (
p = 0.085).
Conclusion
Coaches and researchers are encouraged to utilize the 4 split time method proposed in the current study to assess several key race variables that describe a sprinter's performance capacities, which can be subsequently used to further inform training.
Graphical abstract
关键词：KeywordsenDecelerationModellingRace phasesReaction timeSplit times
