2 Speed

Figure 1

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An image of a female disabled sprinter

Figure 1

In simple terms, speed refers to how quickly an athlete moves. This may relate to movement of the entire body itself from start to finish over a specific distance (as in a 50m sprint swim) or to how quickly an athlete can move a body part (as in throwing a rapid punch in boxing). Speed is also related to the component of agility, when one quickly changes direction (as in making a rapid turn to avoid an opponent in hockey). In the next section you will further your understanding of speed by exploring biomechanical principles.