## 4 Discussion  
Previous studies [2; 4; 5; 7; 29] in young figure skaters investigated performance on motor ability tests. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to assess whether the results of non-specific and specific physical field tests can predict success in competitions in young female and male figure skaters. Vertical jumps, locomotion acceleration, and distance jumps are commonly used in elite athlete training, testing, and monitoring, as well as fitness indicators monitored in this study [30]. The analysis was made based on long-term monitoring of physical parameters such as explosive strength and reactive strength of the lower limbs, acceleration running speed, and acceleration skating speed, and IJS scores in the most important official competitions. The performance level of figure skaters was assessed not only based on the results from the top single event such as the National Championship in the corresponding category, but also using averaged results from the three best placements in competitions that qualified figure skaters for the National Championship. We believe that this approach provided a comprehensive view of the level of performance of young figure skaters included in the Talented Youth Training Project throughout the season. The data show that our tests assess four neuromuscular qualities derived from identified components: fast SSC capability for vertical jumping, slow SSC capability for horizontal jumping, and fast SSC capability for the acceleration phase in both skating and running. Cross-sectional studies [29; 31] indicate that SSC performance improves with age and maturation during childhood and adolescence, which corresponds to our finding that the composition of the main components remains consistent across age groups. These manifestations of explosive strength are internally uncorrelated (orthogonal), which makes them essential for training control in explosive strength development. According to [PERSON] et al. [32], we assumed that muscle strength influences force-time characteristics during various sporting movements, including figure skating [3; 10; 11; 33]. These explosive actions are based on coordinated muscle contractions of the lower extremities during the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) [11; 34; 35; 36]. The analyses indicate that locomotion speed and strength, as assessed by field tests in young skaters (8 to 16 years old), are important predictors of long-term performance and success in the National Championships. Higher correlations were found for the SB3 scores, representing the average score of the three best competitions leading up to the National Championship in both categories. This suggests that increased explosive lower-limb strength and locomotion speed allow athletes to effectively practice and execute more complex elements in training, which are subsequently rewarded with higher scores in competitions. These findings are consistent with the studies by [PERSON] [6] and [PERSON] et al. [7]. In the younger basic novice category (Group 1, 8 to 11 years), the speed of specific locomotion on ice was identified as a significant predictor of performance. This finding underlines the importance of coaching practices that prioritize movement dynamics, which is crucial to execute elements of higher difficulty in free skating. Furthermore, maintaining dynamic balance is essential to master the individual components and combinations of the program, which makes it a determining factor in achieving higher IJS scores in this age Group 1. However, when interpreting the results in figure skaters of this category, it must be considered that even though children of these ages with relatively better speed and explosive strength than their peers may have a natural advantage, this is not definite and although early tests can provide baseline insights into their current abilities and movement quality, they are mainly essential for long-term progression of athletes [37; 38; 39].