Tomkinson et al. (International 20mSRT)
About this reference
Tomkinson et al. systematically reviewed 177 studies containing 20-metre shuttle run test data from 50 countries, yielding 1,142,026 performances from apparently healthy children and youth aged 9-17. Sex-specific and age-specific centile curves were fitted using the LMS method. Norms are reported in four metrics: speed at the last completed stage, completed stages/minutes, laps, and estimated VO₂ peak. This is the most comprehensive international normative dataset for the 20m shuttle run test.
Known limitations
- P25 and P75 are not reported directly — approximated from the average of P20/P30 and P70/P80 respectively
- International sample includes countries with varying fitness levels — norms may not match any single country precisely
- Data pooled from studies spanning 1981-2014 — secular trends in fitness may affect older contributions
- The 20m shuttle run protocol can vary slightly between implementations (e.g. Léger vs FitnessGram PACER versions use slightly different starting speeds), though performance differences are generally small