In the sport performance structure of table tennis is sensor motor reaction time one of the most important factors for reaching top-level results, both in males and females groups. In this research we watched 23 female table tennis players from Slovakia; 9 mini cadets (12-13 years), 6 cadets (14-15 years) and 8 juniors (16-18 years). Girls were tested by modified agility test for table tennis players (Vacenovsky & Vencurik, 2013) with machine FITRO Agility check. Thus we gained their sensor motor reaction times. By Mann-Whitney U-test we studied differences between age categories, upper and lower extremities, dominant (forehand) and un-dominant (backhand) side, right and left-handed players. We used significance level p<0.05. In our research we did not confirm expected results that the older groups have shorter sensor motor reaction time. We also expected shorter reaction time of upper extremities comparing lower extremities; this was confirmed, though there was found statistical significant difference only in juniors group. Groups of mini-cadets and cadets have better (shorter) sensor motor reaction time from backhand side, while group of junior is better from forehand side. We also confirmed that left-handed players have slightly shorter reaction time.

of choice reaction time about 6.2% between age 21-45 and 46-60 years. Recent research (Woods, Wyma, Yund, Herron, & Reed, 2015) showed that choice reaction time latencies increased significantly with advancing age (r p = .47, 2.80 ms/year) of which more than 80% of age-related choice reaction time slowing down accounted for central processing time (isolated by subtracting simple reaction time) due to slower motor responses. This age-related choice reaction time can be improved by exercise, motor training and pharmaceutical agents (Seidler et al., 2010). In particular, participation in racquet sports (e.g., badminton or tennis) can reduce reaction time (

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Summary:The authors compared selected somatic data and test results in 20 m sprint and countermovement jump (CJM) of 14-year-old Lithuanian players from Sabonis Center (LT, n=143; body height: 173.7 ± 8.99 cm; body mass: 59.30 ± 11.40 kg), and Slovenian (SLO, n=84; body height:172.8 ± 9.96 cm; body mass: 60.10 ± 12.49 kg) and Slovak national team players (SVK, n=42, body height: 177.5 ± 9.07 cm; body mass: 63.32 ± 11.36 kg). The SVK players were divided into the narrow pick (A-team, n=16) and broader roster (B-team, n=26). Within the SVK groups, significant differences between the A-team and B-team have been found in terms of body height (p<0.05) and body mass measurements (p<0.01), and in the test 20 m sprint (p<0.05). In CMJ results, the differences of the Ateam and B-team have not been statistically significant. In the international comparison SVK players were taller than SLO and LT players (p <0.05). In the test 20 m sprint SVK players have achieved significantly better results (LT p <0.05, SLO p <0.01). On the contrary, in CMJ test the results (height of the jump) of SVK players were significantly worse than SLO and LT players (p<0.01).

SummaryReaction time is an important component of the structure of sports performance in sprint disciplines. In our observation, we focused on the men’s and women’s 200 metres discipline at the World Championships (WCH) in two periods. The first in 1999-2009 and the second in 2011-2019. This division was conditioned by the change in the false start rule, which states that any competitor who makes a false start, except in multicontest, will be disqualified (valid since 1st January 2010). This change affected the speed of the sprinter’s reaction. The monitored group were finalists of the 200 m runs at the WCH, a total of 11 events. We used basic mathematical-statistical characteristics and assessed changes in reaction times using parametric paired and parametric unpaired t-test and Wilcoxon test. We compared reaction time in the heats and the finals. We found that at some WCH, worse reaction times were achieved in the finals of both categories compared with the heats. By comparing the reaction speed in the heats with the reaction speed in the men‘s finals, we recorded this statistically significant difference in the first period (p < 0.01) and after tightening the rule at the level of p < 0.10. In the women’s group, this difference was not statistically significant in any period. The percentage of the reaction speed in the final time of the 200 m run was 0.76 – 0.86 % in the men’s group and 0.74 – 0.78 % in the women’s group. The analysis of the results from the WCH in athletics confirmed the importance of reaction speed in the 200 m run.