Enhancing the Interpretation of Competition Performance and Physical Characteristics in Male Youth Track and Field Athletes

ABSTRACT

This retrospective study examined the associations of maturity status and chronological age with competition and physical testing outcomes in youth track and field athletes, and evaluated corrective adjustment procedures for competition outcomes. Data were collected over five seasons from 75 male athletes (13.9 ± 1.3 years; percentage predicted adult height (%PAH) 93.3 ± 4.6%; height 164.1 ± 10.1 cm; body mass 51.4 ± 10.4 kg) for 60 m sprint, long jump (LJ), countermovement jump, isometric leg press, 10–5 repeated jump test, and 50 m sprint outcomes. Linear mixed models (LMMs) quantified the individual associations of maturity status and chronological age with each outcome. Model‐derived fixed‐effect coefficients were used to apply mean‐ and sample‐maximum corrections to 60 m and LJ performances. Mean corrections were effective at reducing maturity‐performance relationships for the 60 m ( r  = −0.78 to −0.11, R ²  = 0.61 to 0.01) and the LJ ( r  = 0.63 to 0.01, R ²  = 0.40 to < 0.001) when the correction reflected the LMM findings. Sample maximum corrections demonstrated stronger agreement and lower error for the 60 m ( R ²  = 0.80; RMSE = 0.19 s) than LJ ( R ²  = 0.38; RMSE = 0.43 m). These findings support outcome‐specific mean corrections for enhancing the interpretation of male youth track and field performance, while sample‐maximum corrected performances should be treated as estimates and presented with an appropriate measure of prediction error.