INTRODUCTION: Sprinting skills are becoming increasingly important in modern soccer (Haugen et al., 2014). Straight sprinting is the most frequent action in goal situations in professional football (Faude et al., 2012). This study aimed to analyse the maximal straight sprint speed of Austrian soccer players competing at different levels. METHODS: 130 Austrian soccer players (age: 23.0±4.5 yrs; height: 179.0±5.8 cm; BMI: 23.5±1.9 kg) performed a 30 m straight sprint test. Maximum running speed was calculated on split times for meters 20 and 30. The best of two attempts counted. The players were divided into groups by league: professional (n=29), semi-professional (n=44), amateur (n=33) and hobby players (n=24). Data were analysed by one-way ANOVA und Tukey post-test. RESULTS: Body height and BMI did not differ between groups (p>0.05). The maximal sprint speed was 31.2±1.1 km/h, 30,8±1.3 km/h, 29.7±1.5 km/h and 29.6±1.3 km/h, respectively and revealed significant differences between groups. Players competing at higher levels show higher maximal straight sprint speed, statistically significant differences were given between professional players and hobby (p<0.001) and amateur players (p<0.001), and semi-professional and hobby (p<0.01) and amateur players (p<0.01), respectively. CONCLUSION: Most players competing at a semi-professional level in Austria are former professional players and/or skilled players trained in a national soccer academy. This may explain the lack of a difference in maxima straight sprint speed performance between professional and semi-professional players. In Austria, professional and semi-professional players may differ in other physical characteristics (e.g. endurance performance) or technical skills.
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