Associations between step length and long jump performance in male and female U20 athletes

This study aimed to examine the statistical relationship between step length and performance in male and female U20 long jumpers during the 2021 Romanian National Championships. Sixteen athletes (8 males and 8 females), aged 16–19 years, were analyzed. Step length over the final 10 meters of the approach run and the resulting jump distances were measured using OptoJump Next (Microgate, Italy). Descriptive statistics were applied to determine the strength of association between step length and performance. Results indicated strong positive correlations in both female (r = 0.81, p < 0.01) and male (r = 0.78, p < 0.01) groups. Regression analyses showed that mean step length accounted for 65–68% of the variance in jump performance. The findings highlight the importance of approach rhythm and step structure as key predictors of competitive success in youth long jumpers.