Sporiš, G. et al.: ANAEROBIC ENDURANCE CAPACITY IN ELITE SOCCER, HANDBALL AND BASKETBALL PLAYERS

The aim of the study was to determine whether there was a difference in anaerobic endurance between soccer, handball and basketball players. One hundred fifty players (mean age: 22.35±4.31 years), 50 from each sport (mean age: soccer, handball and basketball players 23.54±4.19, 20.42±4.48, 23.10±3.63 years, respectively), pertained to the highest level of their sport in Croatia; some were even members of respective national teams. Participants undertook the 300 yard shuttle run test (300Y) and maximal blood lactate test (BL). Results showed that there were significant differences in both the 300Y and BL scores between the soccer, handball and basketball players. Basketball players achieved the best results in the 300Y test (57.04±3.41s), followed by soccer (57.06±2.27s) and then handball players (59.53±2.65sl). Post-hoc tests indicated that the soccer players (14.70±2.07) had significantly (p<.05) higher maximal lactate values (BL) than the handball players (13.70±1.83). It is not possible to say that these three sports require equal levels of anaerobic endurance, but it is certainly an important component of performance in each and every one of them. We have concluded that the required anaerobic abilities are different in all the three investigated sports, which means that the sport-specific demands could influence athletes’ anaerobic capacity.