Background:
The relationship between physique and athletic performance has been studied for decades, yet the relevance of somatotype compared to body composition indicators remains debated. This study aimed to examine morphological characteristics of female participants across different activity levels and to explore the extent to which somatotype and anthropometric traits differentiate performance groups.

Material and methods:
A total of 118 females aged 18 to 35 years participated, including 38% high-performance athletes, 25% recreational athletes, and 36% physically less active individuals. Anthropometric measurements were obtained, and somatotypes were classified using the Heath-Carter method. Statistical analyses were conducted with SPSS 28.0, applying non-parametric tests due to non-normal data distribution.

Results:
Somatotype distribution showed 36.4% endomorphic, 37.3% mesomorphic, 14.4% ectomorphic, and 11.9% central, with no significant association between somatotype and sport performance levels (χ²=11.036, p=0.087). In contrast, significant differences were found in skinfold thickness (p=0.002) and waist circumference (p=0.009), with high-performance athletes exhibiting lower values than recreational and less active individuals. No significant variation was observed in humerus and femur condylus widths.

Conclusions:
These findings suggest that body composition, rather than somatotype alone, plays a more relevant role in distinguishing performance levels, highlighting the importance of individualized, sport-specific assessments for training and talent identification.