The differences in kinematic parameters of hammer throw finalists of the 2017 London athletics world cup

Abstract

Hammer throw is motor-wise an extremely complex throwing discipline with the manifestation of several different forces that impede the rotational movement of the device and the thrower in the projected sagittal plane. Kinematic parameters are one of the segments when analyzing athletic disciplines, including hammer throw. This study aims to determine spatial and time differences of kinematic parameters between male and female hammer throw finalists at the 2017 Athletics World Cup in London. The study was conducted on a sample of 24 finalists of the 2017 Athletics World Cup in London, with the aim to analyze the differences in kinematic parameters between male and female hammer throwers. The results were acquired by applying the Independent Sample t-Test. It has confirmed the differences in most of the parameters, except those regarding ejection height (T=2,992; p<0,009), where it established statistically significant discrepancies between male and female finalists. On average, the male finalists threw a hammer from a height of 1,74±0,13m, and the female finalists from 1,54±0,17m. Based on the obtained results of kinematic parameters, it can be concluded that quantitative and qualitative differences in the measured kinematic parameters of the finalists in London are evident, but that statistically significant differences are recorded only in the ejection height of the device.

Keywords

• elite athletes
• kinematic parameters
• hammer throw
• differences