New Research Challenges Conventional Sprinting Techniques

Study finds sprint performance is shaped by unique interaction of athlete's body, environment, and training history

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new international research paper is challenging long-held beliefs about what makes the world's fastest sprinters so quick, offering fresh insights that could transform how Australia develops its next generation of speed stars. The study, led by Flinders University in collaboration with ALTIS, Johannes Gutenberg University and Nord University, highlights how coordination, strength, limb mechanics and individual physical characteristics collectively shape how an athlete sprints, explaining why no two sprinters look the same at full speed.

Why it matters

This research challenges the conventional idea that there is a single, ideal technical model all sprinters should be coached toward. Instead, it shows that sprinting is far more complex, with the best athletes in the world not all running the same way. The findings have major implications for coaching, encouraging a move away from enforcing one template towards guiding athletes to discover how their own body produces speed.

The details

The paper examines sprinting through a dynamical systems lens, arguing that sprint performance is not defined by one perfect technique but instead emerges from the unique interaction of an athlete's body, environment and training history. It highlights how coordination, strength, limb mechanics and individual physical characteristics collectively shape how an athlete sprints, explaining why no two sprinters look the same at full speed. The research also outlines why sprinting technique naturally shifts as athletes accelerate, reach maximum velocity and fatigue, and why these changes are a normal and necessary part of high-speed running.

  • The research paper was published in February 2026.

The players

Dr. Dylan Hicks

Lead author and Movement Scientist from Flinders' College of Education, Psychology and Social Work.

Gout Gout

A rising Australian sprint phenomenon whose exceptional step length, power and neuromuscular control were highlighted in the paper.

Lachlan Kennedy

One of the exciting young Australian sprinters the authors believe the findings could help identify and develop.

ALTIS

A collaborator on the research paper.

Johannes Gutenberg University

A collaborator on the research paper.

Nord University

A collaborator on the research paper.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“For decades, sprint coaching has often been based on the belief that all athletes should move in one prescribed way. But our research shows that sprinting is far more complex. The best athletes in the world don't all run the same. What they share is not one technique but the ability to organise their bodies efficiently under pressure and that looks different for every sprinter.”

— Dr. Dylan Hicks, Lead author and Movement Scientist (Mirage News)

“Gout Gout shows how individual characteristics can shape world‑class speed in different ways. His longer limbs, elastic qualities and remarkable coordination blend to produce the step patterns we see when he's at full flight. You can't coach another athlete to simply copy that. What you can do is understand the principles behind his coordination and create the right conditions for each athlete to find their own most effective version.”

— Dr. Dylan Hicks, Lead author and Movement Scientist (Mirage News)

“Great coaching is not about enforcing one template, it's more about guiding an athlete to discover how their own body produces speed. When we give athletes opportunities to problem‑solve through movement, we open the door to more resilient and adaptable sprint performance.”

— Dr. Dylan Hicks, Lead author and Movement Scientist (Mirage News)

What’s next

The research team hopes their work sparks broader discussion within coaching circles and provides a more modern, evidence‑based foundation for helping Australian sprinters reach the world stage.

The takeaway

This research challenges the long-held belief that there is a single, ideal sprinting technique all athletes should strive for. Instead, it shows that sprint performance emerges from the unique interaction of an athlete's body, environment, and training history, allowing for more individualized and adaptive coaching approaches that could help develop Australia's next generation of speed stars.