Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Introduction: The relationship between visual abilities and athletic performance has received considerable attention in sports science, but research on elite youth judo athletes remains limited, particularly with respect to sex- and weight category-related differences. This study investigates the sports visual ability profiles and examines sex- and weight category-related differences across ten visual-motor indicators in elite Chinese youth judo athletes. Methods: A total of 44 members of the Chinese National Youth Judo Team (26 males, 18 females) participated in the study, and their visual abilities were assessed using the Senaptec Sensory Station. The visual ability tests included measures of visual clarity (VC), contrast sensitivity (CS), depth perception (DP), near far quickness (NFQ), target capture (TC), perception span (PS), multiple object tracking (MOT), eye-hand coordination (EHC), Go/No-Go (GNG), and reaction time (RT). Sex differences were analyzed using independent samples t-tests; weight category effects were examined using a 2 (sex) × 3 (weight category: lightweight/ middleweight/ heavyweight) two-way ANOVA. Results: Independent samples t-tests revealed significant sex differences in 5 of 10 indicators (p < 0.05). Males showed significant advantages in reaction time (RT) and depth perception (DP), while females significantly outperformed males in eye-hand coordination (EHC), multiple object tracking (MOT), and perception span (PS). Two-way ANOVA confirmed significant weight category main effects in 4 indicators (p < 0.05), with lightweight athletes excelling in RT, EHC, NFQ, and GNG (all large effects) and heavyweight athletes showing numerical advantages in MOT and PS; no significant interaction effects were found. Discussion: The results highlight the significant role of sex- and weight category-specific visual-motor adaptations in elite youth judo athletes. The study suggests that training programs targeting these visual abilities—especially RT, EHC, and DP—could optimize performance according to sex and weight category. This research provides valuable insights into the role of vision in judo and suggests future directions for individualized visual training in combat sports.</p>