Abstract
Athletic success in field- and court-based sports depends on the ability to navigate complex, chaotic environments with high-velocity precision. Unlike track and field events, where locomotive demands are linear and predictable, team sports require athletes to execute an array of movement patterns, including maximal linear sprinting, rapid decelerations and high intensity change of direction (COD) at varying angles. While acceleration and maximal velocity have been extensively studied, the mechanical and neuromuscular factors underpinning the transition phases, particularly braking and reacceleration, remain poorly understood. This research aimed to examine the relationships between lower-body neuromuscular capacities and comprehensive multidirectional sprint performance and to develop a novel methodological framework—the multidirectional sprint area (MDSA)—for quantifying holistic multidirectional sprint ability. Using a cross-sectional design, 83 university-level athletes (52 males, 31 females) from various sporting codes were tested. The MDSA was created by plotting velocity vectors from linear sprints (30 m), maximal deceleration tests and COD sprints at 45°, 90° and 135° (left and right) on a radar graph to calculate the area of the resulting polygon. The MDSA demonstrated robust discriminant validity by distinguishing clear performance variations across sexes (with male athletes exhibiting larger absolute polygon areas than females), sporting codes (with football athletes achieving the greatest multidirectional capacity compared to rugby, hockey, and netball), and directional orientations (where forward sprint vectors significantly exceeded backward deceleration capacities, p <0.001). The MDSA distinguished differences by sporting code, sex, and directional orientations (p <0.001), with male athletes and football players demonstrating larger absolute polygon areas, and forward sprint vectors exceeding backward deceleration capacities. Eccentric kinetics from countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ) and Nordic hamstring exercise assessments correlated strongly with eccentric force and momentum (r = 0.798, p <0.05) but not directly with deceleration time. Concentric jump metrics for the CMJ and DJ, were the strongest predictors across all sprint directions (r = 0.71–0.83, p <0.01), highlighting concentric external power output as a key mechanical predictor of multidirectional speed variables. Asymmetry in eccentric hamstring strength did not significantly influence COD performance, whereas the angle of the turn had a significant effect (p <0.001) on velocity outcomes. Stepwise regression revealed that concentric velocity, maximal eccentric force and reactive strength collectively explained 64% of the MDSA variance, validating a tripartite mechanical hierarchy of multidirectional speed. The MDSA provides a valid, integrated profile of multidirectional ability, revealing a deceleration deficit...