Shalfawi et al.: Assessing day-to-day test-retest sprint running reliability Serb J Sports Sci 5(3): 107-113 107 Serbian Journal of Sports Sciences ISSN 1820-6301 Original article Original article Original article Original article 2011, 5(3): 107-113 ID 186028812 Received: 19 Nov 2010 UDC 796.422.16.015 Accepted: 07 April 2011 ASSESSING DAY ASSESSING DAY ASSESSING DAY ASSESSING DAY-TO TO TO TO-DAY RELIABILITY OF THE NEWTEST DAY RELIABILITY OF THE NEWTEST DAY RELIABILITY OF THE NEWTEST DAY RELIABILITY OF THE NEWTEST 2000 SPRINT TIMING SYS 2000 SPRINT TIMING SYS 2000 SPRINT TIMING SYS 2000 SPRINT TIMING SYSTEM TEM TEM TEM Shaher A. I. Shalfawi 1 , Espen Tønnessen 2 , Eystein Enoksen 3 & Jørgen Ingebrigtsen 1 1 University of Nordland, Department of Physical Performance, Centre for Practical Knowledge, Bodø, NORWAY. 2 The Norwegian Olympic Elite Sport Centre, Department of Physical Training, Oslo, NORWAY. 3 The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Department of Physical Performance, Oslo, NORWAY. Abstract Abstract Abstract Abstract The purpose of the present study was to assess the day-to-day test-retest reliability of the Newtest 2000 - sprint timing system. The reliability of the system was assessed by testing 52 Physical Education students. All participants were tested on 30 m sprint, with 10 m, 20 m and 30 m split times obtained as well. All measurements were performed on two subsequent days at the same place and time of the day with identical settings and configurations. The results from this investigation indicate that the performance variations between test day one and test day two was small and the Intra-Class Correlation (ICC) indicates a high repeatability of the students’ performance during the day-to-day test-retest. In the examination of the system reliability, the results did not show any marked systematic bias (P < 0.05) in the mean difference (errors) between the measurements on the first day (test) and second day (retest) occasions. We conclude that the Newtest 2000 sprint timing system examined in this study is a reliable testing instrument for testing Physical Education students and a useful instrument for measuring running speed. However, in future studies it would be interesting to examine if the system would be able to monitor the small changes in running speed that could result from increasing the training of an already elite athlete. Key words: Key words: Key words: Key words: Assessment, reliability, measurement, running, sprint speed INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Sprint performance and repeated sprint ability have been extensively described within both male and female elite and non-elite athletes [2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19]. A number of measurement methods (shuttle runs, straight forward acceleration, sprinting and treadmill testing) using equipment such as photocells or light beams have been introduced [3, 13, 15, 19]. One of the applicable systems used in assessing sprint time is the Newtest 2000 - sprint timing system (Newtest Oy, Oulu, Finland). However, the reliability of the system has yet to be verified. Reliability is of paramount importance in sport sciences, and has been defined as the “consistency of measurements” or “absence of measurement error” [1, 9, 14]. A basic requirement of any test is that repeated measurements yield consistent results. Therefore, reliability refers to the reproducibility of a measurement; measures should be reproducible so that there is neither marked systematic (learning, motivation, fatigue) nor random (sampling) variation [9, 10, 14]. Furthermore, poor reliability degrades the ability to track changes in measurements in clinical or in experimental studies and the degree to which the eventual measurement errors can be accepted for practical use is of high importance [1]. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to assess the day-to-day reliability (repeatability) of the Newtest 2000 - sprint timing system. MATERIALS AND METHOD MATERIALS AND METHOD MATERIALS AND METHOD MATERIALS AND METHODS SUBJECTS UBJECTS UBJECTS UBJECTS 52 healthy male and female physical education students, whose age, body mass and stature (± SD) were 21.4 (± 8.9) years, 73.1 (± 10.4) kg, and 175 (± 0.08) cm, respectively, accepted to take part in this study. Written consent was obtained from all participants, and the institutional ethics committee approved the study.