Kinematic determinants of take-off performance in elite and sub-elite male long jumpers: a competition-based two-dimensional motion analysis

Background The performance of the long jump depends on the effective conversion of high approach velocity into ballistic flight during brief take-off contact. This process requires rapid force production, efficient stretch–shortening cycle (SSC) function, and precise neuromuscular coordination. The approach speed is widely recognized as key determinant of jump distance. The specific kinematic characteristics which distinguish closely matched high-level athletes under real competition conditions remain unclear. Thus, this study was intended for the identification of key kinematic characteristics associated with take-off performance in elite and sub-elite male long jumpers using competition-based two-dimensional motion analysis. Methods Twenty-four male long jumpers who performed valid jumps in national-level outdoor competitions were analyzed. The athletes were divided into elite (8.00–8.20 m; n=11) and sub-elite (7.80–7.99m; n=13) groups. High-speed video recordings (100 Hz) was used for quantification of late-approach spatiotemporal parameters of penultimate and last strides, center-of-mass (COM) velocity components at touchdown and take-off. In addition, velocity utilization ratio (ΣTO/ΣTD), and sagittal-plane hip, knee, and ankle joint angles at touchdown (TD), maximum braking (MB), and take-off (TO) were also recorded. Between-group differences were examined using independent-samples tests with Cohen’s d effect sizes. Results Elite jumpers demonstrated significantly greater horizontal velocity at take-off than sub-elite athletes (8.63 ± 0.68 vs. 7.77 ± 0.91 m·s - ¹; p = 0.018; d = 1.05). Resultant take-off velocity and velocity utilization ratio showed moderate-to-large effect sizes but were not statistically significant ( p = 0.055–0.057). No significant differences were observed in stride parameters or sagittal-plane joint angles. Conclusion Elite long jump performance appears primarily associated with the ability to preserve higher horizontal velocity during take-off, rather than differences in take-off technique. These findings highlight the importance of velocity maintenance and stretch–shortening cycle efficiency during the take-off phase.