Who runs the fastest? Anthropometric and physiological correlates of 20m sprint performance in male soccer players

Abstract : The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship of 20m sprint performance with anthropometrical and physiological parameters in male soccer players. A hundred and 81 soccer players from the region of Athens (age 23.4 +/- 5.0yrs, body mass 73.4 +/- 7.7kg, height 180.0 +/- 5.9cm, body fat (BF) 14.4 +/- 3.6%), classified into quartiles according to 20m sprint time (group A, 2.84-3.03s; group B, 3.04-3.09s; group C, 3.10-3.18s; group D, 3.19-3.61s), participated. Soccer players in group A were younger and had better performance in vertical jumps and in the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT, p<0.05). Sprint time correlated to age (r=0.27), body mass (r=0.23), body height (r=0.20), BF (r=0.23), vertical jumps (-0.58r-0.50) and the WAnT (-0.45r-0.30, p<0.05). In summary, the magnitude of correlations of sprint time with measures of lower limbs muscle strength and power (WAnT and jumps) was larger than with anthropometric measures (body mass and BF).