Conference Agenda

The purpose of this study was to examine the tracking of sprinting ability and endurance capacity in elementary school children and to clarify whether the physical fitness profile indicating the relative balance of these abilities is maintained or changes during childhood. The analysis utilized the 50-m sprint and 20-m shuttle run performance data of the same children in grade 1 and grade 5. The ability profile was calculated as the difference between the standardized scores for the 20-m shuttle run and 50-m sprint (Z-shuttle run - Z-50 m sprint). The results showed correlations between the 50-m sprint and 20-m shuttle run scores of r = 0.69 and r = 0.74 for boys, and r = 0.64 and r = 0.49 for girls, respectively. Conversely, the correlation between the ability profiles in grade 1 and grade 5 was low: r = 0.26 for boys and r = 0.07 for girls. Furthermore, examining the relationship between the initial profile and subsequent change revealed a strong negative association for girls (r = -0.73), whereas this relationship was weak for boys (r = 0.28). These results suggest that while short-distance running ability and endurance capacity show a certain degree of stability during childhood, physical fitness profiles may change during the developmental process. Therefore, it is considered necessary to interpret with caution any predictions of future athletic ability or aptitude based solely on physical fitness characteristics observed during the elementary school years.