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Determinants of Sprint Ability Change During Maturation in Developing Children
Masamichi Okudaira1, Ryosuke Takeda2, Tetsuya Hirono3
1Faculty of Education, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan.
European Journal of Sport Science
|January 30, 2026
Summary
Sprint performance in young athletes shifts from leg length to muscle strength and thickness post-peak height velocity. This developmental breakpoint highlights changing factors influencing maximal sprint speed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric sports science
- Human growth and development
- Biomechanics of sprinting
Background:
- Sprint ability and its determinants change significantly during childhood and adolescence.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for optimizing training and performance in young athletes.
- Maturation, particularly around peak height velocity, is a critical period for these adaptations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in sprint ability and spatiotemporal variables during maturation in young soccer players.
- To identify key anthropometric and muscle strength determinants of sprinting performance.
- To determine if a developmental breakpoint exists in maximal sprint speed (MSS) development.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-eight young soccer players (aged 7.6–17.9 years) performed a 30-m sprint, anthropometric measurements, and muscle assessments (thickness and maximal voluntary contraction).
- Maturity offset (MO) was calculated relative to estimated age at peak height velocity (PHV).
- Participants were grouped into pre- and post-breakpoint (BP) categories based on MO (+1.1 years from PHV).
Main Results:
- A breakpoint in MSS development was identified at +1.1 years from PHV.
- Before the breakpoint (pre-BP), maximal sprint speed (MSS) correlated with MO and was predicted by leg length (LL), influencing step length (SL).
- After the breakpoint (post-BP), MSS was not correlated with MO, but was predicted by muscle thickness (MT) and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), influencing step frequency (SF).
Conclusions:
- A significant developmental breakpoint occurs at +1.1 years from peak height velocity.
- Sprinting determinants shift from anthropometric factors (leg length) before this breakpoint to neuromuscular factors (muscle strength and thickness) after it.
- This highlights a crucial maturational phase where training focus may need to shift from linear growth influences to muscle-derived power for enhancing sprint performance.
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