The aim of the present research was to describe the changes in the locomotor competence [i.e. sprint, change of direction ability (CODA) and jump capacity] of young runners from an athletic training school after one season, according to runners’ sex and age. Two hundred and forty-one young runners from an athletic training school were divided by sex (boys, n = 107, and girls, n = 134) and age [under 8 years old (U8, n = 70), under 10 years old (U10, n = 68), under 12 years old (U12, n = 45), under 14 years old (U14, n = 39) and under 16 years old (U16, n = 19)]. At the start of the training season (PRE) and at the end of the season (POST), the runners performed different tests in order to assess their locomotor competence. The results showed that boys and girls improved their performance during the season in the 5 m sprint (p = 0.000, ES = -0.58 to -0.74) and horizontal countermovement jump (HCMJ) (p = 0.000, ES = 0.51 to 1.02), and decreased it in the 15 m sprint test (p = 0.011 or p = 0.006, ES = 0.27 to 0.31), and only girls improved in change of direction ability (CODA) (p = 0.000, ES = -0.22 to -0.27). In addition, with respect to age categories, all groups improved their performance in the HCMJ (p = 0.000 - 0.005, ES > 0.40) and the 5 m sprint tests (p = 0.000 - 0.002, ES = -0.68 to -1.24). Although in the 505 test no group improved its result (p = 0.184 - 0.314, ES = -0.25 to 0.01), the U8 and U10 groups improved in the modified agility test (MAT) (p = 0.000 or p = 0.003, ES = -0.38 to -0.41). In conclusion, there are differences in the changes in the locomotor competence according to runners’ sex and age, so perhaps age- and sex-dependent specialization in training is necessary.

本研究的目的是根据一个运动员的性别和年龄，描述一个运动训练学校的年轻运动员一个赛季后的运动能力（即冲刺，方向能力（CODA）和跳跃能力）的变化。将来自运动训练学校的241名年轻跑步者按性别（男孩，n = 107，女孩，n = 134）和年龄[8岁以下（U8，n = 70），10岁以下）进行划分。 （U10，n = 68），12岁以下（U12，n = 45），14岁以下（U14，n = 39）和16岁以下（U16，n = 19）]。在训练季节开始时（PRE）和赛季结束时（POST），跑步者进行了不同的测试，以评估其运动能力。结果显示，男孩和女孩在5 m冲刺期间提高了他们的表现（p  = 0.000，ES = -0.58至-0.74）和水平反向移动跳跃（HCMJ）（p  = 0.000，ES = 0.51至1.02），并在15 m冲刺测试中将其减小（p  = 0.011或p  = 0.006，ES = 0.27至0.31），只有女孩的方向能力改变（CODA）有所改善（p  = 0.000，ES = -0.22至-0.27）。此外，就年龄类别而言，所有组在HCMJ中的表现均得到改善（p  = 0.000-0.005 ，ES> 0.40）和5 m冲刺测试（p  = 0.000-0.002，ES = -0.68至-1.24）。尽管在505测试中，没有组改善其结果（p  = 0.184-0.314，ES = -0.25至0.01），但U8和U10组在改进的敏捷性测试（MAT）中有所改善（p  = 0.000或p  = 0.003，ES = -0.38至-0.41）。总之，根据运动员的性别和年龄，运动能力的变化也存在差异，因此也许有必要在年龄和性别方面进行专门的训练。