| This dissertation measured physical fitness in 884 boys and girls age 14-17 years old living in Sierra Leone. The test battery was designed to measure the major components of fitness for sports performance and health. The fitness tests included the 20m shuttle run, push-ups, side bridge (left and right), 40m sprint, static abdominal hold, 12 minute run, and pull ups.;In the 20-m shuttle run, the average time varied between 7.19 to 8.05 seconds in boys and 7.72 to 8.58 seconds in girls (mean age-groups values). Push-ups varied between 20.3 and 42.2 repetitions in boys and 19.2 to 30.7 in girls. Side-bridge endurance (right and left) varied between 67.8 seconds to 134.1 seconds in boys and 58.7 to 110.7 seconds in girls. The 40-meter dash times varied between 5.74 to 6.12 seconds in boys and 6.63 to 7.06 seconds in girls. Static abdominal endurance time varied between 93.4 to 142.6 seconds in boys and 104.7 to 142.4 seconds in girls. Boys ran between 1883.3 to 2145.3 meters in the 12-minute run test and girls ran 1548.5 to 1904.6 meters. In pull-ups, boys performed between 8.6 to 10.9 repetitions and girls between 4.8 and 6.4 repetitions.;The norms established in this study will serve as the basis for a national physical fitness testing program in Sierra Leone. The norms will be modified as we test more students. They will be used to help measure health and fitness in school children and identify children with athletic talent who night benefit for specialized training. |
