KINANTHROPOMETRY Comparson of Kinanthropometry Profile of Different Track and Field Athletes

23) años. Se incluyeron en el estudio 33 corredores de corta distancia, 33 corredores de media distancia y 34 corredores de larga distancia. Medidas de longitud de los participantes como (i) Longitud de la pierna (ii) Longitud de la parte superior de la pierna (iii) Longitud de la parte inferior de la pierna Se midieron el diámetro del tobillo, el pliegue cutáneo (i) el pliegue cutáneo de la pantorrilla (ii) el pliegue cutáneo del muslo (iii) el abdomen. Resultados: Se midió y tabuló la desviación media y varada de la altura, el peso, la medida de la longitud, las circunferencias corporales, los diámetros esqueléticos y los pliegues de la piel. La composición corporal de los corredores de corta, media


Introduction
Despite having a large population, India has not had much of an impact on the world of international sports. Indian athletes' and boxers' subpar performance at the world level has been a source of significant concern, particularly for coaches, sports scientists, and sports administrators. (Sidhu, J. S et al 2009) The interplay between a person's genotype (genes) and environment-the external factors to which they are exposed, such as sports training, diet, climate, way of life, and habits-leads to the development of the human body. Kinanthropometry is the study of the human body in terms of its dimensions, proportions, composition (in terms of Fat and Fat Free Mass), and functionality in order to comprehend growth, performance, and nutritional status, particularly in connection to sport participation. (Mathur, 1985).
It is well recognized that the anthropometry of physical attributes is crucial for an individual's growth to acquire a high degree of performance in a particular sport. (Khan, 2016). Knowledge of kinanthropometry gives one the skills to measure different body parts, including weight, height, diameters, circumferences, and skin folds. (Masanovic, 2019). Sportspeople are chosen based on Studies on the human body's physical qualities to date show that successful athletes have different morphological characteristics from the general population in terms of somatic traits. Physical traits are particular to each person. Kinanthropometry investigates the relationship between the structure and function of physical attributes for a specific sport (MacDougall et al., 1992).
Track and field Athletics is a well-liked and exciting activity that includes both individual and team competitions. It is a fiercely competitive sport that puts participants' physical prowess, grit, and endurance to the test. Track and Field athletes compete in a range of activities like running, leaping, and throwing. (Mumtaz, 2012) They are renowned for their extraordinary speed, agility, strength, and endurance. The sport has a lengthy and rich history that dates back to the Greek Olympic Games, and it has developed into a highly technical and specialized sport over time (Garay et al.,1974). In today's top international tournaments like the Olympics, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games, Track and Field athletes from all over the world compete at the highest level, thrilling and inspiring viewers with their outstanding performances. This essay will go into the world of track and field sports, covering its history, events, preparation, and difficulties that competitors must overcome. The goal of the present study was to determine the anthropometric profile of athletes who competed in short, medium, and long-distance running.

Participants
A total of 100 young athletes were selected from the Sports Development Authority of Tamilnadu (SDAT), Chennai. Among them 65 were male and 33 were female athletes with a mean age of 22.35 (± 3.23) yrs. 33 shortdistance runners, 33 middle-distance runners, and 34 long-distance runners were included in the study. Both gender of athletes, who were continuously in sports for more than 2 years, were included, and aged between 18 and 25 years. Athletes who were injured recently and athletes who were in a recovery state were excluded. All participants had a similar diet (Mediterranean diet without supplements). Inform concerns were obtained from all participants.

Equipment
i. Anthropometric rod with a 0.5 cm resolution was used to assess the height.
ii. Portable Weighing scale was used to calculate body weight to the nearest to 0.2 kg.
iii. Girth was measured with an anthropometric tape. iv. Sliding caliper was used to assess bone diameters.
v. Skinfold caliper was used to measure skin folds thicknesses.

Anthropometric measurements
Anthropometric measurements were measured according to standard methods standardized by The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK).

Results
The anthropomorphic data of all the athletes were measured and tabulated. Mean and stranded deviation of height, weight, length, girths, bone diameters, and skin fold thicknesses were presented in the following Tables (Table  1-5). There were statically significant differences in certain parameters, where some parameters were not significantly different like height and weight.

Discussion
Anthropometric characteristics, physical fitness, and athletic performance are associated with each other very strongly. The capacity to perform well in a particular sport or athletic activity may depend on the size and shape of the body as well as one's level of physical fitness. But it is crucial to keep in mind that athletic success is also influenced by other factors like ability and mental fitness. According to the findings of the present study, the weight and skinfold measurements of short, middle, and long distance runners varied depending on their level of performance. By providing some inherent advantages, the anthropometric profile can significantly contribute to success in particular sports (Bach et al., 2015). A sportsperson's physical attributes have a significant impact on their degree of performance. However, there can also be significant disadvantages posed by size and resultant mass that could prove to be a hindrance to success. But in Track and Field, most athletics require a good height for better performance (Uth, 2005).
The short distance performance depends on the muscle-stored glucose, and ATP-CP energy release system to exhibit vigorous energy in short duration to win the race. Thus, the lower body compositions are much larger than their upper body. They need a big muscular body for aerodynamic advantage and to withstand torque production. Middle distance runners possess significantly higher body weight, and skinfold thicknesses. Greater fat content in the body affects performance negatively (Radulovic, 2012). In the present study no significant differences were found in Height, Girths, and Bone diameters. Body shape, muscle strength, relative lengths of legs, heels, and toes as well as the fine-tuned nervous system to pull the whole thing together are just some of the biological attributes that makes world-class Track and field Athlete. Long distance runners have lean and less body fat. They tend to have long lower limbs and more type 1 muscle group for their endurance based activities. They have a large and wider thorax for the consumption of more air to meet the great oxygen demand created by the body.
Somatotyping can be important in sports because different body types may be better suited to certain sports or positions within a sport. For example, mesomorphs, who tend to have a muscular build, may be well-suited to sports that require power and explosiveness, such as weightlifting or sprinting. Ectomorphs, who tend to be thin and have a low body fat percentage, may be better suited to sports that require endurance, such as long-distance running (Mumtaz, 2012).
Other factors besides body type, such as skill, technique, and mental toughness, play important roles in athletic performance (Navas et al., 2023). In the present study, there were significant differences between middledistance & long-distance runners. Long-distance runners showed better anthropometric measurements.
The present study concluded that anthropometrical characteristics were one of the most influential factors in determining good athletic physical performances. Further research on anthropometric data of different sports needs to be explored, which plays a vital role in understanding the attributes and advantages of Indians in the sports arena.