Purpose : Recent rule changes in team handball have increased the relevance of sprinting and acceleration for performance outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the acceleration–velocity profiles of elite female players during the Final Weekend of the Women’s EURO 2024. Methods : Sixty-four players from the 4 finalist teams (19 wings, 33 backcourts, and 12 line players) were monitored using a validated Local Positioning System. Data were processed in Python, using dual-pass Butterworth filtering to refine the signal and determine each player’s maximum velocity. Peak acceleration and distance covered at speeds exceeding 4 m/s were calculated, and all running trajectories exceeding 90% of each player’s individual maximum velocity were considered for the final analysis, with a 3-second buffer added before and after each event for descriptive purposes. Results were grouped by playing position and 2 game phases (fast breaks or defensive transitions). Results : Wings covered significantly greater distances and exhibited higher peak speeds and accelerations than backcourt and line players ( P > .001). No significant differences in intensity metrics were found between offensive and defensive transitions; however, the trajectory analysis revealed that maximal-intensity actions occurred nearly twice as often during defensive transitions. Conclusion : In-competition assessment of individual acceleration–velocity profiles provides valuable insights for coaches seeking to manage high-speed running loads across training sessions or microcycles. Position-specific data may also help design training tasks that more accurately replicate real match demands.
Cano et al. (Thu,) studied this question.