The aim of the study was to analyse a level of sprint abilities, jump abilities and intermittent endurance of playing groups divided according to playing positions (goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, forwards) from Slovak national under-21 soccer team (N=18, goalkeepers n=2, defenders n=4, midfielders n=7, forwards n=5) in time of qualification for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship 2011. The level of sprint abilities was diagnosed with the device Fitro Light Gates (FiTRONIC, Bratislava, The Slovak Republic). The criterion for the level assessment was the time obtained in the distance of 10m with the exactness of 0.01s. The level of jump abilities was diagnosed with the device FiTRO Jumper (FiTRONIC, Bratislava, The Slovak Republic). The criterion for the level assessment was the jump height in centimeter (cm) with the exactness of 0.1cm. Intermittent endurance was diagnosed with Yo-Yo Intermittent recovery test, level 2. The criterion for the evaluation was total overcame distance in the test in metres (m). Differences in the level of sprint abilities, jump abilities and intermittent endurance were recognised and defined with the special subject analysis. The level of sprint abilities of the whole group was presented with the average performance with the value 2.21±0.08 s, the level of jump abilities with the average performance with the value 39.0±4.2 cm and the level of intermittent endurance with the average value 1283±294 m, what means VO 2 max. kg-1 = 62.7±4.0 ml.kg-1 min-1. We have not found out with special subject analysis any significant differences in monitored parameters between groups divided according to playing positions. The significantly lower level was observed only in the level of sprint abilities and intermittent endurance of goalkeepers.

Background: The Worlds Athletics Championships, along with the Olympic Games, represent the largest review of athletes in which they record top results, often projecting new world records. Any research that analyzes top athletes contributes to shedding light on a number of issues. It is especially interesting to analyze and compare the results of athletes from one time distance. The main goal of the research was to determine the result differences in sprint, jumping and throwing disciplines, between men's and women's finalists participating in the World Athletics Championships in Edmonton, 2001 and Doha in 2019. Methods: the current study included a total of 493 finalists (247 men's and 246 women's) of the World Championships in Edmonton, 2001 and Doha, 2019. The results in sprint, jumping and throwing disciplines were analyzed in order to determine the result differences in the championship finals. To obtain the necessary information, a t-test for independent samples was applied and the relevant statistical parameters were calculated. Results: the results were confirmed between the final evident differences in all disciplines. Men in Edmonton were successful in 41% of the discipline (400m, pole vault, discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw), and in Doha 59% of the discipline (100m, 200m, 110H, high jump, long jump, triple jump), while in the category of women's finalists, participants in Edmonton were successful in 17% of disciplines (long jump, throwing the ball), while female athletes were successful in 83% of disciplines (100m, 200m, 400m, 110H, triple jump, high jump, high jump with a pole, Throwing a spear, throwing a discus, throwing a hammer). Statistically significant differences between male finalists were recorded only in the disciplines: 200m (t=2.318; p<0.039) , throwing the ball (t=-2.939; p<0.009) and hammer throw (t=-2.802; p<0.013) , and in female finalists in the 200m disciplines (t=2.402; p<0.025) , pole vault (t=-5.552; p<0.000) and hammer throw (t=-6.410; p<0.000). Conclusion: the consequences of this distribution of differences finalist can be found in various morphological, motor and biomechanical parameters, technical experience, neuromuscular movements, level of motivation and preparedness at the time of onset and other endogenous-exogenous factors.

Cilj studije bio je da se analizira nivo sprinterske sposobnosti, eksplozivnih sposobnosti donjih ekstremiteta i specifične izdržljivost igrača u zavisnosti od pozicije u timu (golmani, odbrambeni igrači, vezni igrači, napadači) slovačkog fudbalskog nacionalnog tima ispod 21 godine (N=18, golmana n=2, odbrambenih igrača n=4, veznih igrača n=7, napadača n=5) tokom kvalifikacija za UEFA Evropskog prvenstva ispod 21 godinu 2011. Nivo sprinterskih sposobnosti dijagnostikovana je uređajem Fitro Light Gates (FiTRONIC, Bratislava, Slovačka Republika). Kriterijum za procenu nivoa bilo je vrijeme dobijeno na distanci od 10 m sa tačnost 0,01 s Nivo eksplozivne sposobnosti donjih ekstremiteta dijagnostikovana je uređajem FiTRO Jumper (FiTRONIC, Bratislava, Slovačka Republika). Kriterijum za procjenu nivoa eksplozivnosti bila je visina skoka u centimetrima (cm) sa tačnošću 0,1 cm. Izdržljivost je dijagnostikovana sa Yo-Yo intervalnim testom oporavka, nivo 2. Kriterijum za procjenu bio je ukupno pređena distanca u testu u metrima (m). Razlike u nivoima sprinterske sposobnosti, eksplozivnih sposobnosti i izdržljivosti su prepoznate i definisane kao posebni predmet analize. Nivo sprintertskih sposobnosti cijele grupe predstavlja prosječna sposobnost sa vrijednošću 2,21±0,08 s, nivo eksplozivnih sposobnosti sa prosječnom vrijednošću visine vertikalnog skoka od 39,0±4,2 cm i nivo specifične izdržljivosti sa prosječnom vrijednošću od 1283±294 m, što znači VO 2 max.kg-1 =62,7±4,0 mlkg-1 min-1. Posebnim predmetom analize nismo utvrdili bilo kakve značajne razlike u posmatranim parametrima između grupa podjeljenih prema poziciji u timu. Značajno niži nivo zabilježen je samo u nivou sprinterskih sposobnosti i specifične izdržljivosti kod golmana.

Purpose: Change of direction speed (CODS) and reactive agility (RAG) are important qual-ities in futsal, but studies rarely examined the predictors of these conditioning capacities in players of advanced level. This study aimed to evaluate predictive validity of certain an-thropometric and conditioning capacities in evaluation of futsal specific CODS and RAG in top-level players. Methods: The sample comprised 54 male players from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, members of teams competing at the highest national rank, including national champions for the 2017–2018 competitive season in both countries. The variables comprised set of pre-dictors (body mass, body height, triceps skinfold, reactive strength index [RSI], sprint 10 m [S10M], and broad jump [BJ]; and four criteria: futsal specific CODS and RAG, performed with and without dribbling (CODS_D, CODS_WD, RAG_D, RAG_WD). To identify the asso-ciation between variables Pearson’s correlation and multiple regressions were calculated. Results: Observed predictors explained statistically significant (p < 0.05) percentage of vari-ance for all four criteria (Rsq: 0.28, 0.30, 0.23 and 0.25, for CODS_WD, CODS_D, RAG_WD, RAG_D, respectively). Body mass was significant predictor for all criteria (Beta: 0.35–0.51), with poorer performances in heavier players. In both performances which involved dribbling, significant predictors was RSI (Beta: −0.27 and −0.31 for CODS_D and RAG_D, respective-ly), with superior performances in players with better RSI. The S10M and BJ were not identi-fied as being significantly correlated to studied RAG and CODS performances. Conclusion: Study confirmed specific influence of studied predictors of futsal specific CODS and RAG with consistent negative influence of body mass on studied performances. Almost certainly this can be explained by specifics of RAG and CODS execution. Specifically, tests are performed over relatively small distances, with several changes of direction, which clear-ly mimic the futsal specific performances. Although sprint performance is often observed as important determinant of CODS and RAG, herein we did not confirm its predictive validity in explanation of futsal specific CODS and RAG. Future studies should evaluate other poten-tially important predictors of these capacities in futsal.

The presented study focuses on the impact analysis of a specific training programme primarily focusing on plyometric exercises for the lower limb explosive power, and the selected parameters of swimming turns. The tested set consisted of performance swimmers (n = 20, men n = 12 and women n = 8) in the average age of 17.3 years, average height of 174.2cm, and average weight of 65.8kg. The tested set was divided into two smaller sets. The experimental set (n = 10) used the training process as an extra experimental factor and the supervision set (n = 10) carried out only the main contents of the training process. The specific training schedule was applied during the period of 8 weeks, three times a week for 20 minutes. The effectiveness of the experimental factor was tested through a selected set of tests, focusing primarily on the lower limb explosive power. Three of the tests were conducted on the dryland using the Myotest machine: T1-Squat jump (SJ), T2-Countermovement Jump (CMJ) and T3-Plyometric jump (PJ). The tests conducted in the swimming pool were: T4-max. length of floating up after the push off from the turning wall, and T5-the length of push off after 25m of breaststrokes in the maximum speed with a push off from the wall of maximum floating up. The results pointed out a proportionally higher increase in the experimental set, in which the average percentile improvement of the jump height amounted to 17.7% in T1 (the changes in the supervision set were 0.7%); in T2 the jump height was increased by 22% (the changes in the supervision set were 0.6%); in T3 the time of contact increased by 18.5% (the supervision set showed a decrease by 1.2%), T4 by 14.9% (the changes in the supervision set were 4.1%) and in T5 by 22.7% (the changes in the supervision set were 11.0%). Kendall correlation coefficient (r), pointed out the average value of the correlation coefficient between the experimental factor and the individual tests as follows: T1