Radar Sensor Data Fitting for Accurate Linear Sprint Modelling.

BACKGROUND: Accurate linear sprint modelling is essential for evaluating athletes' performance, particularly in terms of force, power, and velocity capabilities. Radar sensors have emerged as a critical tool in capturing precise velocity data, which is fundamental for generating reliable force-velocity (FV) profiles. This study focuses on the fitting of radar sensor data to various sprint modelling techniques to enhance the accuracy of these profiles. Forty-seven university-level athletes (M = 23, F = 24; 1.75 ± 0.1 m; 79.55 ± 12.64 kg) participated in two 40 m sprint trials, with radar sensors collecting detailed velocity measurements. This study evaluated five different modelling approaches, including three established methods, a third-degree polynomial, and a sigmoid function, assessing their goodness-of-fit through the root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (r2). Additionally, FV metrics (Pmax, F0, V0, FVslope, and DRF) were calculated and compared using ANOVA.

RESULTS: Significant differences (p < 0.001) were identified across the models in terms of goodness-of-fit and most FV metrics, with the sigmoid and polynomial functions demonstrating superior fit to the radar-collected velocity data.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that radar sensors, combined with appropriate modelling techniques, can significantly improve the accuracy of sprint performance analysis, offering valuable insights for both researchers and coaches. Care should be taken when comparing results across studies employing different modelling approaches, as variations in model fitting can impact the derived metrics.