Anthropometry and Physical Performance in 13-Year-Old Australian Talent-Identified Male and Female Athletes Compared to an Age-Matched General Population Cohort

Abstract

Talent-identified male and female athletes are assumed to have greater speed and power than the general population at a given age. However, a comparison of the jump and sprint performance of an Australian cohort of male and female youth athletes from various sports to age-matched controls has not occurred. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare anthropometric and physical performance markers between ~13-year-old talent-identified youth athletes and general population Australian youth. The anthropometry and physical performance in talent-identified youth athletes (n = 136, 83 males) and general population youth (n = 250, 135 males) were tested during the first month of the school year in an Australian high school within a specialized sports academy. Talent-identified females were taller (p < 0.001; d = 0.60), sprinted faster (20 m: p < 0.001; d = −1.16), and jumped higher (p < 0.001; d = 0.88) than general population youth females. Similarly, talent-identified males sprinted faster (20 m: p < 0.001; d = −0.78) and jumped higher (p < 0.001; d = 0.87) than general population youth males, but were not taller (p = 0.13; d = 0.21). Body mass was not different between groups for males (p = 0.310) or females (p = 0.723). Overall, youth, particularly females, who are trained in a variety of sports, exhibit greater speed and power during early adolescence compared to their age-matched peers, with anthropometric differences only occurring in females at 13 years of age. Whether talented athletes are selected because they exhibit these traits or whether speed and power are developed through sport participation requires further investigation.