Improvement of Speed Endurance in Qualified Female Hurdlers in Hurdle Running

Background and Study Aim. The article addresses the issue of enhancing the level of speed endurance in female athletes specializing in hurdle running. A high level of speed endurance is a critical factor in the successful performance of hurdlers in competitions, enabling the maintenance of a predetermined pace throughout the race while minimizing speed decrement in its final stages. Purpose: to develop approaches for improving speed endurance in elite female 400m hurdlers. Material and methods. The experimental program, was conducted over 12 months and consisted of two macrocycles: winter and summer. In the preparatory phase of each macrocycle, interval hurdling was employed as the primary training method. Results. To assess velocity parameters, a study was conducted on the performance of elite female athletes in the 400m hurdles. The race distance was conventionally divided into two segments — the first and second 200 meters. A comparative analysis of velocity indicators over these segments revealed that athletes exhibited a substantial decrease in speed during the second 200 meters compared to the first. The evaluation of training interventions aimed at enhancing speed endurance in elite athletes demonstrated improvements in velocity both over the first 200 meters and, more notably, over the second 200 meters of the race. Conclusions. Over the 12 months of the pedagogical experiment, the EG hurdlers ran the 400-meter hurdles 7.8 seconds faster. It has been proven that interval hurdle running has a positive effect on the improvement of sports performance in qualified athletes.