Comparative Study of Athletes Reaction Time and Performance at the Sprint Events in World Indoor Athletics Championships

Abstract

In speed races the reaction time is an important factor which possibly leads to the metal acquisition in World class athletes. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the reaction time at the sprint start and the performance in sprinters who participated at the World Indoor Athletics Championships from 1997 to 2008. In the present study the evaluated data originated from 159 (n=159) male athletes who take part in the final events of 60m, 200m and 60m hurdles in the Championships in Paris (1997), in Maebasi (1999), in Lisbon (2001), in Birmingham (2003), in Budapest (2004), in Moscow (2006) and in Valencia (2008). The evaluation of reaction time as well as the sprinters’ performance was based on the official published reports of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The Pearson’s analysis was applied in order to record the correlation between the athletes’ reaction-times and performance in each one of the speed races separately. The linear regression analysis was applied in order to predict the athletes’ performance from the reaction time at the sprint start. From the 3 sprint events only the correlation between the reaction time and the performance in 60m was recorded as statistically significant (r=0.32, p<0.05). Furthermore, the regression multiple R was 0.11 statistically different than zero [F(1,51)=6,138, p<0.05], offering a prediction of 10% in 60m sprinting performance from the reaction time at the sprint start. Conclusively, it is confirmed that the reaction time has a little contribution to the athlete’s performance in indoor 60m event which, however, can be quite beneficial at the finish line.