Sprint Speed From Splits Calculator
Compute flying speed from a timed split segment — distance between two gates divided by the split time, in mph, km/h and m/s.
How it works
speed (m/s) = segment distance ÷ split time · km/h = m/s × 3.6 · mph = m/s × 2.23694
A "flying" split measures speed over a segment the athlete is already moving through, so it captures true velocity without the acceleration penalty of a standing start. Timing a fixed distance between two gates and dividing gives the average speed across just that segment — the shorter and later the segment, the closer it is to peak speed. This is how top-speed figures for sprinters and ball-sport athletes are actually measured.
Worked example
A flying 20 m covered in 2.0 s is 20 ÷ 2.0 = 10 m/s. That is 10 × 3.6 = 36 km/h, or about 22.4 mph.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a normal sprint time?
A standing sprint includes the slow acceleration phase. A split taken while already running (a flying split) isolates the speed over one segment, which is faster and closer to true top speed.
What segment should I time?
A 10–30 m flying segment placed after 20–30 m of build-up gives a good top-speed estimate. Shorter segments are more sensitive to timing error.
What speeds are realistic?
Recreational athletes flying-time around 7–9 m/s (16–20 mph); elite sprinters exceed 11.5 m/s (26 mph) over their fastest 10 m.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.