Phase 05 of 5 · Roughly the final 20–30 m

Deceleration: why every sprinter slows down

Deceleration is the final phase of a sprint in which velocity falls away from the athlete’s maximum, driven by neuromuscular fatigue rather than by any deliberate change in effort.

The goal of this phase: Lose as little as possible, and lose it without the mechanics falling apart.

What good looks like

Mechanics that hold their shape even as velocity drops.
Touchdown distance staying stable rather than growing through the last third.
Left–right symmetry holding to the line.
No visible change in trunk position or arm action under fatigue.

Common faults in the deceleration2 faults

Straining

What you see: Shoulders rising, face and hands tensing, cadence rising while step length collapses.
Where to start: Relaxation work at speed. Float-fly-float runs where the athlete deliberately gives back effort without giving back speed.

Reaching under fatigue

What you see: Touchdown distance acceptable at 50 m and clearly worse at 85 m.
Where to start: Speed endurance. This is a conditioning problem presenting as a technical one, and drilling the technique will not fix it.

Measurements that matter here

All eleven are listed on what we measure.

Questions1

Do sprinters slow down at the end of a 100m?

Yes. Every sprinter decelerates over the final 20 to 30 metres. Even world-record runs show velocity falling after around 60 to 70 metres. Races are frequently won by the athlete who slows down least rather than the one who reached the highest top speed, which is why speed endurance is trained as its own quality.