Studia Kinanthropologica 2025, 26(3):97-109

Comparison of performance trends in women’s 100 m sprint and marathon running in the Czech Republic from 1976 to 2025

R. Hejlík, & P. Bahenský
Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Pedagogická fakulta, Katedra tělesné výchovy a sportu

The 100 m sprint and the marathon represent disciplines with different demands on speed and endurance. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the historical development of Czech women’s performances in these disciplines, identify key trends, and assess the dynamics of performance improvement. For the analysis, data on the 50 best performances by Czech women for each year in the period 1976–2025 were collected. The best performances (elite), the average of 3 (sub-elite), and the average of 15 (broader performance base) of the best performances in both disciplines were compared. The analysis showed that the 100 m sprint has a long-term stable and slightly increasing trend, while the marathon is characterized by significant year-on-year variability and dynamic development, especially in the last decade. The correlation of performance curves between disciplines was significant for elite competitors (r = 0.393; rcrit = 0.279) and for the broader performance base (r = 0.725; rcrit = 0.291), but not for the sub-elite (r = 0.207; rcrit = 0.291). Overall, the Czech women’s marathon appears to be a discipline with growing potential for further performance development, while in the 100 m run, a stable performance level with slight improvement can be expected.

Keywords: 100 m sprint; marathon; comparison; performance development; Czech women

Received: December 10, 2025; Revised: January 8, 2026; Accepted: January 9, 2026; Published: January 28, 2026  Show citation

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Hejlík R, & Bahenský P. Comparison of performance trends in women’s 100 m sprint and marathon running in the Czech Republic from 1976 to 2025. Studia Kinanthropologica. 2025;26(3):97-109.
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