Physical condition characteristics of junior whitewater rafting athletes in Purbalingga

Background and Study Aim. Physical fitness is a component that supports athlete performance in various sports, including whitewater rafting. This sport demands complex physical abilities. These include aerobic endurance, upper-body strength, leg explosiveness, and core stability to navigate dynamic and challenging river currents. The study aimed to determine the physical condition characteristics of junior rafting athletes in Purbalingga. It also aimed to analyze differences in physical condition test results by competition category. Materials and Methods. This study used an observational quantitative approach. The subjects consisted of 68 junior rafting athletes aged 15–18 years from a rafting club in Purbalingga. Physical condition measurements included the Multi-Stage Fitness Test (MFT), push-up test, pull-up test, vertical jump test, and plank test. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests with a significance level of p < 0.05 in SPSS version 24. Results. The study found that only height showed significant differences between male and female athletes (p < 0.05). Age, weight, and BMI did not show significant differences. In addition, there were no significant differences in any components of physical condition between rafting competition categories (p > 0.05). Most athletes were in the Good (43%) and Fair (31%) categories. Conclusions. The physical condition of junior whitewater rafting athletes in Purbalingga is generally good. The training program implemented has improved the athletes' basic physical condition. However, more targeted training is still needed to optimize performance.