What does "extrapolated" mean for our percentile?

It means the reference values for 30 metres were derived from the source dataset rather than measured directly within it. The derivation is reasonable and the underlying data is very large, but a derived band carries more uncertainty than a measured one. If a decision hinges on the precision of the percentile, use the 20m test instead.

Should we test 20m or 30m?

If you can only run one, 20m — it is directly measured in the reference, it maps onto more sporting situations, and it is less demanding to administer. Add 30m when you specifically want to separate acceleration from top-end speed, and capture splits when you do.

Why is the 30m reference unisex?

That is how the derived bands are structured in our norms table. It means male and female athletes in the same age band are compared against the same reference, which is a meaningful limitation in the older age groups where the distributions genuinely differ.

Benchmark · Acceleration to top speed

The 30m sprint, and the word "extrapolated"

The 30m sprint in youth testing — where acceleration ends and top speed begins, and an honest account of why our 30m reference bands are extrapolated rather than directly measured.

What this page will not tell you

It will not print percentile numbers. Every reference band behind Vimasu is currently marked sourced, pending audit — cross-checked against the original publication is a step we have not finished, and a number a parent might act on is the wrong place to be approximately right. What follows is the protocol, the named source behind each age band, and what the result does and does not mean. The full methodology and source bibliography sits one level up.

What the test actually measures

The 30m sprint spans acceleration into the beginning of maximum-velocity running. For most youth athletes the acceleration phase is still ongoing at 20 metres and starting to plateau somewhere past 25 to 30, so this distance is the shortest one that says anything about top-end speed.

Paired with a 10m or 20m split, it becomes genuinely diagnostic: the difference between the splits separates an athlete who starts well from one who keeps accelerating. Those two profiles need different training and are invisible in a single total time.

The protocol, and why it decides whether the number means anything

Everything in the 20m protocol applies, and the timing-method warning applies more, not less — a longer sprint does not rescue a stopwatch.

Decide whether you are capturing splits, and set the gates before the session. Retrofitting a split from a single total time is not possible, and a club that tests 30m without splits has spent the same session collecting less information.

Recovery must be longer than for 20m — three minutes or more. A 30m maximal sprint is a substantial effort, and the second attempt of a fatigued athlete is a fatigue measurement.

Where the reference comes from

U10, U12, U14, U16, U18 resolve against Tomkinson et al. 2017. Source populations run from 80,000 to 100,000 across those bands. Bands are unisex — male and female athletes are compared against the same reference. Full citation: Tomkinson GR, Carver KD, Atkinson F, et al. European normative values for physical fitness in children and adolescents aged 9–17 years: results from 2 779 165 Eurofit performances representing 30 countries. Br J Sports Med 2018;52:1445-1456.

Every band above is currently flagged sourced, pending audit — the source is named and the values are in place, but our cross-check against the original publication is not finished. That is why this page names sources and populations rather than printing percentile numbers. The live coverage matrix, which is fetched from the platform rather than written by hand, is on the methodology page.

What the number does not tell you

Our reference bands here are extrapolated. The underlying dataset is enormous and well-regarded, but the 30m values are derived from it rather than measured within it. That is a real limitation on how much a 30m percentile can carry, and stating it is the point of this page. Where a direct measurement exists — 20 metres — prefer it.

The reference is unisex at this distance, unlike the 20m bands, so it does not distinguish between male and female athletes. In age bands where that distinction matters, the resulting percentile is a blunter instrument.

Very few youth athletes reach true maximum velocity in 30 metres. Calling this a top-speed test overstates it; it captures the approach to top speed, which is a more modest and more accurate claim.

Frequently asked

Questions parents and coaches ask

What does "extrapolated" mean for our percentile?: It means the reference values for 30 metres were derived from the source dataset rather than measured directly within it. The derivation is reasonable and the underlying data is very large, but a derived band carries more uncertainty than a measured one. If a decision hinges on the precision of the percentile, use the 20m test instead.
Should we test 20m or 30m?: If you can only run one, 20m — it is directly measured in the reference, it maps onto more sporting situations, and it is less demanding to administer. Add 30m when you specifically want to separate acceleration from top-end speed, and capture splits when you do.
Why is the 30m reference unisex?: That is how the derived bands are structured in our norms table. It means male and female athletes in the same age band are compared against the same reference, which is a meaningful limitation in the older age groups where the distributions genuinely differ.

From the Standard to your sideline

Testing is only worth it if the numbers go somewhere.

Vimasu records test results against age-referenced norms and keeps them on the player's permanent record — so a retest in six months is a comparison, not another isolated number. Start free.

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