Physical Performance Profiling of Elite Female Sepak Takraw National Athletes A Modern Sport Science Approach

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background: Sepak takraw is a high-intensity net-barrier sport requiring explosive lower-limb power, agility, speed, flexibility, and anaerobic endurance. Despite its growing international competitiveness, limited scientific evidence exists regarding comprehensive physical performance profiling specifically for elite female national athletes. Physical performance profiling has become a cornerstone of modern sport science, offering objective benchmarks to evaluate athletes’ capabilities relative to competition demands. Profiling includes measuring physiological, biomechanical, and performance variables that distinguish elite performers from non-elite counterparts Methods: This study employed a quantitative descriptive design with a cross-sectional approach. This design aimed to objectively describe the physical condition profile of female sepak takraw athletes at a specific measurement point without any experimental intervention. The quantitative descriptive approach was chosen because this study focused on standardized measurements of physiological and biomotor variables, which were then analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum values)[2]. a quantitative descriptive design is used to identify the characteristics of a population based on systematically measured numerical data. In the context of sports science, this approach is commonly used to profile elite athlete performance as a basis for planning evidence-based training programs. Results:. Sprint Speed The average 20 m sprint time of 3.15 seconds indicates that the women's national team athletes are in the fast category according to the speed capacity standards of sepak takraw sports science [3]. This is important for offensive starts and defensive transitions. Flexibility The average flexibility score (24.20 cm) is quite good, supporting flexible limb movements such as high kicks and roll spikes. Core & Dorsal Strength The average Russian Twist and Back-Up scores indicate adequate core stability strength, aiding balance and explosiveness in smash movements. Shuttle Run The shuttle run score (12.20 seconds) indicates good agility, consistent with the demands of sepak takraw, which often requires changes in direction. Vertical Jump The average vertical jump reached 38.10 cm, which is in the upper-middle category for intermittent sports compared to recreational athletes. This is consistent with the high demands of kick jump movements. VO₂max The VO₂max value (48.70 ml/kg/minute) indicates that athletes are aerobically prepared for competitive matches, supporting recovery between rallies. Conclusion: A comprehensive physical performance profiling model based on modern sport science principles provides valuable objective benchmarks for elite female sepak takraw national athletes. This approach enhances training prescription, talent identification, injury risk management, and long-term athlete development. Future research should incorporate longitudinal monitoring and biomechanical match analysis to refine performance prediction models in elite sepak takraw.