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Theory and Practice of Physical Culture and Sports

Article

The influence of anthropometric characteristics on the performance of track-and-field athletes in running events

Iryna Yuzkovets, Vladyslav Ruban
Retrieved from Vol. 5, No. 1, 2026 Pages 96–108
Received
03.12.2025
Revised
03.04.2026
Accepted
12.05.2026
Published
26.06.2026
Views
85

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to clarify how the anthropometric characteristics of track-and-field athletes are related to performance in sprint, middle-distance, and long-distance running. The study was conducted on 6-10 April 2025 at the Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav, with the participation of 90 male track-and-field athletes aged 18-24 years, divided into sprint, middle-distance, and long-distance groups. Anthropometric indicators, control running results, and statistical relationships between physical parameters and sports performance were assessed. The results showed distance-specific features of anthropometric profile, running speed, correlation patterns, and regression predictors. Sprinters had higher body mass, single-leg thigh circumference, and muscle mass percentage: 82.4 ± 6.8 kg, 62.8 ± 3.4 cm, and 47.8 ± 3.0%, which reflected the predominance of the muscle-strength component over short distances. Among long-distance runners, lower body mass, body mass index, and fat mass percentage – 70.8 ± 5.7 kg, 22.6 ± 1.3 kg/ m², and 9.8 ± 1.8% – were associated with greater economy in prolonged running. Mean speed was 8.63 ± 0.41, 5.71 ± 0.32, and 4.62 ± 0.28 m/s in the sprint, middle-distance, and long-distance groups, respectively. The correlations linked sprint speed with muscle mass (r = 0.62), whereas in long-distance runners, speed had an inverse association with fat mass (r = -0.56). The regression models explained 51%, 46%, and 49% of speed variability, confirming the different role of anthropometric factors in each running specialisation. The results confirmed that the anthropometric determinants of performance differ by running specialisation: muscle-strength parameters predominate in sprinting, whereas lower fat mass and a more economical body-build profile are more important over long distances. In practical terms, these data may be used by coaches, athletics teachers, and sports selection specialists to refine distance specialisation and individualise the training process

Keywords

distance specialisation; sprint; body mass index; body build; long-distance runners; speed-strength realisation; endurance

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Suggested citation

Yuzkovets, I., & Ruban, V. (2026). The influence of anthropometric characteristics on the performance of track-and-field athletes in running events. Theory and Practice of Physical Culture and Sports, 5(1), 96-108. https://doi.org/10.69587/tppcs/1.2026.96