Ratko Pavlovic; Ilona Mihajlovic; Nikola Radulovic; Dana Badau; Georgian Badicu & Serhii Kozin

Monitoring running performance provides important insight into physiological development, training effectiveness, and individual differences in speed and endurance, as sprint and middle-distance events require different contributions of anaerobic and aerobic capacities. The aim of this study was to analyze generational differences and interrelationships in performance across short- and middle-distance events among twelve generations (groups) of students. The longitudinal study included 210 third-year students from the faculty of Physical Education and Sport over a 12-year period, and performance was assessed in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, and 800 m events under standardized conditions. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, tests of normality and homogeneity, Pearson correlation coefficients, MANOVA, and univariate ANOVA with Tukey HSD post hoc tests. MANOVA revealed statistically significant differences among generations in overall performance (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.481; F = 3.44; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.519), while univariate ANOVA identified significant differences only in the 100 m event (F = 4.767; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.212). All events were positively and statistically significantly correlated, with the strongest correlation observed between the 100 m and 200 m (r = 0.799; p < 0.001), and moderate correlations between the 100 m and 800 m (r = 0.542), 200 m and 400 m (r = 0.686), and 400 m and 800 m (r = 0.666) (all p < 0.001). Middle-distance performances showed relative homogeneity across generations, whereas sprint performances demonstrated greater variability, indicating that generational differences are most pronounced in short sprint events. Sprint performance partially predicts middle- distance results, confirming the interaction between speed and endurance capacities and emphasizing the importance of continuous performance monitoring and training adaptation to the specific demands of each discipline.

KEY WORDS: Running; Middle-distance; Student performance; Multivariate analysis.

PAVLOVIC, R.; MIHAJLOVIC, I.; RADULOVIC, N.; BADAU, D.; BADICU, G. & KOZIN, S. Running performance of physical education and sports students: A longitudinal descriptive and multivariate analysis. Int. J. Morphol., 44(3):924-933, 2026.