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Kinesiology, Vol. 44. No. 1., 2012.

Original scientific paper

Start reaction time and performance at the sprint events in the olympic games

Theophilos Pilianidis ; Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Physical Education & Sport Science, Komotini, Greece
Athanasios Kasabalis ; Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Physical Education & Sport Science, Komotini, Greece
Nikolaos Mantzouranis ; Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Physical Education & Sport Science, Komotini, Greece
Alexandros Mavvidis ; Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Physical Education & Sport Science, Komotini, Greece

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the start reaction time and sprinting performance in athletes who took part in the athletics final events in the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing
2008 Olympic Games. The evaluated data originated from 67 male athletes (N=67) and 68 female athletes (N=68) who participated in the events of 100m, 200m and 110/100m hurdles. The evaluation of start reaction time (ms) and the sprinters’ performance (s) was based on the published official reports of the International Association of Athletics Federation. The ANOVA results showed a significant difference between genders in start reaction time only in the 100m (F(1.44)=11.82, p<.01) event. The Bonferroni comparisons regarding the Olympic Games revealed that both in male and female athletes the 100-m start reaction times were significantly better in Beijing 2008 in relation to those in Sydney 2000. Similarly, the start reaction times in 110/100m hurdles were significantly better in Athens 2004 in relation to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Finally, in the men’s 100-m final race in Beijing 2008, both the start reaction time and the performance were better than those of the athletes who participated in Athens 2004 and in Sydney 2000 (r=.490, df=38, p<.01). Conclusively, this study’s finding confirms that in modern athletics the start reaction time and the
outstanding sprinting performance improved equally.

Keywords

sprint race; speed reaction; starting blocks

Hrčak ID:

83585

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/83585

Publication date:

30.6.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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