Introduction:
Relative age significantly impacts adolescent track athletics. Therefore, identifying and developing adolescent athletes to compete effectively in track events is essential.

Aim of the study:
This study aimed to compare the body composition and anaerobic capacity of adolescent track athletes, specifically sprinters and long-distance athletes, by sex, and to identify factors influencing these variables.

Material and methods:
The study involved 96 athletes undergoing intensive training in preparation for various high-level competitions in 2024. The athletes measured several aspects of body composition, including leg length, body fat percentage (BFP), lean body mass (LBM), and body mass index (BMI). Anaerobic capacity was assessed using the Wingate test, conducted on a cycle ergometer. A t-test was performed to compare body composition and anaerobic capacity of the two groups. Additionally, simple linear regression analysis was utilized to identify factors affecting the measured variables.

Results:
The leg lengths of sprinters and long-distance athletes were similar for both male and female athletes. However, significant differences were observed in BFP, LBM, and BMI between sprinters and long-distance athletes, across both sexes. Male and female sprinters showed an increase in BMI and anaerobic peak power with a rise in LBM. Additionally, as BMI increased, anaerobic peak power also tended to rise. In contrast, for long-distance athletes, anaerobic mean power decreased as both LBM and BMI increased. Interestingly, as BFP increased, there was a corresponding increase in anaerobic mean power.

Conclusions:
These findings should be integrated into training programs to enhance track athletes’ performance.