Examining age and gender effects in physical performance in young athletes aged 12–16 years

The aims of the present study were to determine anthropometric and physical characteristics according to age and gender of young athletes, and to quantify the relationships among these characteristics. Sixty-four young high-level runners were divided into two groups according to their age: U14 = under 14 year’s athletes; U16 = under 16 year’s athletes. The U16 group presented higher values of the sprint 15 m (p < 0.01, d = 1.14) and modified agility test (p < 0.01, d = 0.66) than the U14 group. However, the boys group presented higher values in the 505 agility test (p < 0.01, d = 0.63), modified agility test (p < 0.01, d = 1.26), horizontal countermovement jump (p < 0.05, d = 0.56), vertical countermovement jump (p < 0.01, d = 0.61) and arm swim vertical countermovement jump (p < 0.01, d = 0.63) than the girls group.