The purpose of this project was to collect video records of elite hurdlers during full effort runs during an USTAF winter development camp, kinematically analyze their performance, and immediately review the hurdling technique with the athletes/coaches using an integrated multimedia presentation approach. Video recordings of 6 elite high hurdlers were taken at 60 Hz from a front and sagittal perspective as they cleared the third hurdle during a maximal hurdling attempt in practice. Fourteen body and 3 hurdle data points were digitized, transformed and smoothed with a quintic spline. Temporal variables of foot contact and flight times were calculated. Kinematic information was determined for the CM horizontal velocity prior to foot plant, at takeoff, and landing after hurdle clearance. Also, horizontal and vertical displacements of the CM trajectory at flight apex in respect to the hurdle were determined. Results and conclusions: The hurdlers' mean contact time was .122 s and flight time was .366s. The hurdlers' demonstrated a deceleration of 18 cm/s during the foot contact at takeoff and a 5 cm/s acceleration after landing. This deceleration prior to takeoff would be indicative of an overstriding condition that led to a braking action at takeoff. The hurdler's CM reached its flight apex 23.5cm before the hurdler cleared the hurdle. This would represent the hurdler taking off too far from the hurdle and therefore they would have to elevate their CM more than necessary to clear the hurdle. Integrated multimedia presentations of the hurdlers' video records, stick figure trajectories, and kinematic data graphs were reviewed with the elite athlete and their coach the following day, providing the coach, athlete, and analyst with an immediate and powerful visually oriented coaching tool. (2000 Pre-Olympic Congress, Sports Medicine and Physical Education, International Congress on Sport Science, 7-13 September - Brisbane, Australia 2000)
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