Frontiers in Sports and Active Living最新文献

{"title":"The effect of repeated sprints on immunological modulation and the role of fat-free mass, biological maturation and dietary inflammatory index in male athletes: a quasi-experimental study with insights for training loads control.","authors":"Paulo F de Almeida-Neto, E Alana D Fernandes, Gilmara G de Assis, Katsuhiko Suzuki, Roberto F da Costa, Lívia de Melo Atanásio, Vanessa Carla Monteiro Pinto, Felipe J Aidar, Breno Guilherme de Araújo Tinôco Cabral, Paulo Moreira Silva Dantas","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1662761","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1662761","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Repeated sprint exercise (RSE) induces inflammation, which may be modulated by fat-free mass (FFM), biological maturation (BM), and dietary patterns, assessed by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII).</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To examine the influences of FFM, BM, and DII on cytokine responses to RSE in male athletes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A study with a quasi-experimental approach and cross-sectional design with a sample of 30 male athletes (20-adolescents, 10-adults). Blood samples were collected pre-, immediately after, 2 h and 24 h after RSE (3-sets of 6 × 35-m sprints). IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were analyzed via flow cytometry. FFM was assessed by DXA, BM by predictive models, and DII by 24 h dietary recalls. Prior exploratory analyses included Spearman's and partial correlations, and Mann-Whitney-<i>U</i>-tests. Main analyses were conducted using Generalized-Linear-Mixed-Models (GLMM).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The GLMMs confirmed that BM, FFM, and DII significantly influenced cytokine responses (<i>p</i> < 0.05). FFM emerged as a significant predictor of IL-1β (<i>p</i> = 0.0023). For IL-6, there was a time effect (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and a Time × BM interaction (<i>p</i> = 0.040), with FFM and DII being significant predictors in both groups. A similar interaction was observed for IL-8 (<i>p</i> = 0.036). For IL-10, there was a Time × BM interaction (<i>p</i> < 0.001), where adults showed superiority over adolescents (<i>p</i> < 0.05). <i>Post hoc</i> analyses revealed that adolescents with lower FFM had a more prolonged inflammatory response (increased-IL-6), while adults with higher FFM demonstrated a more effective anti-inflammatory capacity (increased-IL-10).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>FFM, BM, and DII play key roles in shaping the inflammatory response to RSE and should be considered when prescribing training loads to optimize recovery and performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1662761"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12500423/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The costs of participation in and delivery of community sport in Australia-a narrative review.","authors":"Hans Westerbeek, Rochelle Eime, Katherine Owen","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1641527","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1641527","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rising financial costs are undermining equitable access to community sport and threatening the sustainability of grassroots delivery systems. This narrative review synthesises peer-reviewed and grey literature, focusing on the Australian context, to examine the costs of participating in and delivering community sport. Evidence confirms that affordability remains a persistent barrier across all age groups, disproportionately affecting low socio-economic populations, culturally diverse groups, Indigenous communities, and people with disabilities. In parallel, community sports clubs are challenged by escalating facility, insurance, and staffing costs, declining volunteer numbers, and uncertain revenues, resulting in increasing reliance on participant fees and short-term fundraising. Strategies to reduce financial barriers include voucher schemes, tax rebates, grant programs, and charity-based initiatives. While these interventions provide temporary relief, they often benefit higher-income families more and rarely achieve long-term participation sustainability. Comparative international insights highlight that structural differences in funding models, ranging from heavily subsidised European systems to pay-to-play models in the United States, shape affordability and access in distinct ways. Policy implications point to the need to reposition community sport as a public good embedded in preventive health and equity frameworks, rather than as a consumer service. Achieving inclusive and sustainable systems requires moving beyond universal supports toward equity-focused, co-designed solutions that target priority groups, enhance club capacity, and also recognise the role of informal sport in providing low-cost opportunities. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of financial interventions, develop robust economic models of return on investment, and examine the potential of digital innovation to alleviate cost pressures.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1641527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12500617/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the role of invictus games in supporting the transition for UK disabled military veterans.","authors":"Chris Mackintosh, Niamh Reavill, Rebecca O'Hanlon, Dan Roberts","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1609967","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1609967","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores the experiences of veterans with disabilities regarding how sport and physical activity (PA) impacted their transition into civilian life. The study sought to understand how veterans' experiences since injury affect their well-being, independence, and future. Eight veterans (five women) with a physical disability were recruited via the Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) Invictus Games Foundation page. The qualitative semi-structured interviews studied their experience in sport and PA and transitioning out of the Armed Forces. Data were analysed using narrative analysis. Caddick's theoretical framework was used to explore and analyse the presence of five core veteran narratives in distinct narrative types; \"<i>struggling against decline</i>\", \"<i>minimization</i>\", \"<i>victimhood</i>\", \"<i>life-as-normal</i>\" and \"<i>dramatic overcoming</i>\". A further novel narrative was also heard, referred to as type, which was previously absent, emerged in the data, due to the age and competitiveness of the participants. This novel narrative, was referred to as \"<i>getting on with it</i>\" <i>and</i> was also found to be prominent in the data. The study provides insight into the experiences of veterans with disabilities and the role of sport and PA in their transition into civilian life. The findings suggest that promoting sport and PA and providing opportunities for participation in sporting events can be an effective tool in supporting veterans, providing recommendations for future work around disabled veterans engagement in sport and physical activity, specifically Invictus Games (IG) global event movement.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1609967"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12502731/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying the technical-tactical diversity of elite tennis players during match-play.","authors":"Zichen Zhao, Yixiong Cui, Miguel-Ángel Gómez, Shouxin Zong, Bing Qi","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1634573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1634573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>The study aimed to model the diversity in technical-tactical performance among elite tennis players during matches in relation to match outcome and gender.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Match performance data of 236 singles matches from the 2023 Australian Open and US Open were collected. Standard entropies were calculated for five technical-tactical performance indicators (shot type, forehand/backhand groundstroke direction, first/second serve distribution) to reflect each player's technical-tactical diversity. The linear mixed model (LMM) was used to examine the effects of match outcome and gender on each performance category.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that there was no statistically significant interaction effect between match outcome and gender on the diversity of five performance indicators (<i>p</i> > 0.05). However, both match outcome and gender independently had significant main effects on shot type, forehand/backhand groundstroke direction, and first-serve distribution (<i>p</i> < 0.05, conditional R-squared = 0.17-0.70). Losing players showed higher diversity in shot type [Effect Size (ES) = 0.33, small] compared to winning players. Male players generally showed greater diversity in shot type, and forehand groundstroke direction (ES = 0.63-0.97, moderate) than female players, but less diversity in backhand groundstroke direction and first-serve distribution (ES = 0.62-0.70, moderate).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that (i) the technical-tactical diversity may help describe match styles of tennis players, instead of serving as a reliable indicator for assessing match outcome; (ii) the stability of technique usage is more crucial than the diversity of techniques used for elite players; and (iii) male players should focus on improving the attacking ability of the backhand to achieve higher rankings, while female players with exceptional serving abilities should prioritize the stability of first serve.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1634573"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12500439/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of exercise training and sleep on children's stress perception.","authors":"Eleonora Pagani, Gianluigi Oggionni, Luca Giovanelli, Anna Mariani, Giuseppina Bernardelli, Daniela Lucini","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1609029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1609029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A healthy lifestyle is currently considered a pillar in the prevention/treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases in both adulthood and childhood. Notably, it is also a prominent tool for fostering wellbeing and managing stress, particularly at a young age when these two lifestyle components play a fundamental role in determining present and future health.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the link between stress perception and lifestyle habits, particularly exercise and sleep in children/adolescents and their parents, using a simple anonymous questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Members of 50 families filled out a simple <i>ad hoc</i> anonymous questionnaire on lifestyle habits (exercise, sleep, nutrition, etc.) and stress/health/performance perceptions. The questionnaire was based on standardized instruments (International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the American Heart Association Healthy Diet Score), including objective indicators such as exercise volume and self-developed ordinal evaluation scales ranging from 0 to 10 that assessed subjective perceptions (e.g., health, stress, and performance). Anthropometric, systolic and diastolic arterial pressures, and heart rate data were also collected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In children/adolescents, stress perception negatively correlated with the volume of moderate-vigorous exercise and time dedicated to sleep. The latter also correlated positively with the perception of health and academic performance and negatively with perception of fatigue, somatic symptoms, and systolic arterial pressure percentiles. When considering data from all the family members, we also observed interesting significant correlations between parents' exercise habits, parents' perceptions of health, and parents' perceptions of somatic symptoms and the perception of stress reported by their children, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this observational study, exercise and good sleep hygiene represent important tools to counteract stress perception in youth, fostering present and future wellbeing and health. The collection of lifestyle data using a simple questionnaire with simple clinical parameters may offer an opportunity to construct an immediate picture of family members' lifestyles, which may motivate parents and institutions to focus on improvement of lifestyle components (in particular, exercise and good sleep) instead of only focusing on traditional risk factors (such as dyslipidaemia, obesity, hypertension, and smoking) to foster present wellbeing in children/adolescents and prevent chronic non-communicable diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1609029"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12500678/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the role of Chinese sports media in shaping young adults' exercise habits through the lens of the health belief model.","authors":"Fangni Li","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1600486","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1600486","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The rapid proliferation of Chinese sports media has significantly impacted young adults' exercise habits, influencing their perceived susceptibility to health risks, perceived benefits of exercise, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers, according to the Health Belief Model (HBM). Hence, the research is based on the question: How are key components of the HBM (susceptibility, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy) associated with exercise motivation among young adults exposed to Chinese sports media?</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional design and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this research analyzed data from 1,221 respondents to assess the psychological mechanisms underlying media-driven health behaviors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings indicate that perceived susceptibility to health risks, perceived benefits of exercise, and self-efficacy are positively associated with higher levels of exercise motivation, while perceived barriers show a negative association. The findings demonstrated how media directly affects fitness views through its 4.81 average rating regarding the health dangers of inactivity. The study indicated that exercise increases physical health by an average score of 4.77 and high confidence levels in executing regular physical exercise activities. In confirming the study, the SEM evaluation tests yielded CFI = 1.000, SRMR = 0.022, and RMSEA = 0.002.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Fitness influencers and government-led efforts in Chinese sports media are associated with higher reported motivation to exercise despite unrealistic body standards and accessibility inequities. This study helps policymakers, media strategists, and public health experts connect media influence and behavioral health to improve digital fitness initiatives' media-driven health promotion. Future research should explore AI-driven personalized fitness interventions leveraging Chinese sports media analytics.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1600486"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12497700/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of physical activity intervention and detraining on postmenopausal osteopenia and osteoporosis: a systematic review.","authors":"Tatiana Gombarčíková, Lenka Svobodová, Aneta Svobodová, Marta Gimunová","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1655404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1655404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Osteoporosis is a major health concern in postmenopausal women, and regular exercise is considered a key non-pharmacological strategy for preventing its progression. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of physical activity and subsequent detraining on bone mineral density (BMD) in this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched. A total of 1,161 studies were identified, of which 3 met the inclusion criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings suggest that regular resistance, aerobic, and HIIT training (2-5 sessions per week) can significantly improve or maintain BMD, particularly in the lumbar spine and proximal femur. Conversely, the cessation of exercise leads to a gradual decline in the achieved benefits within a few months.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results emphasize the importance of long-term physical activity as part of osteoporosis prevention while also highlighting the risks associated with the interruption of structured training.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1655404"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12497781/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145243536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A self-directed online resource to enhance coach learning: a 21st-century approach to coach education.","authors":"Koon Teck Koh, Fernando Santos, Tarkington J Newman","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1588636","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1588636","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Physical education and sport settings provide dynamic environments conducive to learning values and life skills. However, not every programme that aims to promote healthy youth development has been successful. Such ineffectiveness is often due, in part, to a lack of requisite knowledge and efficacy among coaches. Nonetheless, preliminary research has begun highlighting the potential of online self-directed resources, a contemporary 21st-century approach to coach education and development. The present study explored the development of a coach observation tool (COT) mobile application to support coaches' learning and the participants' perceptions and recommendations of COT for future enhancement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 34 coach participants from team and individual sports were involved in the present study. Two 60 min lessons were recorded from each participant. The participants were also interviewed individually after the second observation. The lesson plans submitted by the participants were used to link the data generated by the COT mobile application with the percentage of time spent on sports skills, values and life skill development. The COT data were analysed using a paired-sample <i>t</i>-test, while thematic analysis was employed to examine the interview transcripts.</p><p><strong>Results & discussion: </strong>Findings indicate that i) key features of the COT are appropriate and practical for coaches; ii) the use of the COT supported self-reflection among coaches, particularly related to facilitative coaching practices and an increased awareness in the designing and delivery of programming. However, additional application features (e.g., incorporating athlete feedback, using Artificial Intelligence for data management) may further enhance the potential to support coach learning effectively. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications for coaches, administrators, and coach educators are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1588636"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12497842/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of the neuromuscular characteristics of the flexo-extension muscles of knee by tensiomyography in elite soccer players: a systematic review.","authors":"Jesús Lorigados Pérez, Álvaro Bustamante-Sánchez","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1610094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1610094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The objective was to summarize the usefulness of tensiomyography (TMG) as a monitoring tool to evaluate the neuromuscular characteristics of the knee flexor and extensor muscles in elite male soccer players.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A search of Pubmed, Web of Science (WOS), SPORTdiscus and Scopus databases was performed using the PRISMA methodology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results obtained suggest that TMG can provide information not only on individual responses to training, but also on neuromuscular and functional fatigue and lateral asymmetries.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The monitoring of the evolution of the neuromuscular state during the season in soccer players, can help coaches and medical staff to identify the initial characteristics that are relevant for the planning and programming of training, and that these changes can be monitored through the study of the modification of mechanical muscle characteristics assessed by tensiomyography.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The TMG is a useful tool for evaluating the neuromuscular characteristics of the knee flexor and extensor muscles in elite male footballers.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1610094"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12497841/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An analysis of the 6-h ultra-marathon race using a machine learning approach.","authors":"Mabliny Thuany, Katja Weiss, David Valero, Elias Villiger, Marilia S Andrade, Pantelis T Nikolaidis, Volker Scheer, Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira, Rodrigo Luiz Vancini, Ivan Cuk, Lorin Braschler, Thomas Rosemann, Beat Knechtle","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1577470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1577470","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ultra-marathon running popularity is increasing, with the 6-h run being the shortest time-limited ultra-marathon. Since very little is known regarding the country from which the fastest 6-h runners originate, the fastest age group, and where the fastest 6-h race courses are located, this study aims to close this gap.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A machine learning model based on the XG Boost algorithm was built to predict running speed based on the athletés age, gender, country of origin, and the country where the race takes place. Model explainability tools were used to investigate how each independent variable would influence the predicted running speed. To assess the impact of individual performance against the other variables under study, a Mixed Effects Linear Model was also built.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 117,882 race records from 51,018 unique runners from 65 countries participating in races held in 56 different countries were analyzed. Participation is spread across a wide range of countries, with a high correlation between the country of origin and the country of the event. Most runners originated from Germany, Italy, France, the USA, and Sweden, with Europe (Belgium, Russia, Spain, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania), being the fastest. Most athletes competed in Italy, Germany, France, the USA, and The Netherlands. The fastest average running speeds were also achieved in European countries (Russia, Belgium, Poland, Netherlands, Romania, Croatia, and Lithuania).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>For athletes competing in a 6-h ultramarathon, gender was the most important predictor, followed by the origin of the athlete, the age, and the race location. The 6-h running event seems to be dominated by European athletes regarding both participation and performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1577470"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12499350/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}