2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games
Opening ceremony
Speech of the IOC President, Jacques Rogge
---
Dear Friends,
For the first time, young people from around the
world have come together for the Winter Youth
Olympic Games, a global celebration of sport and
Olympic values.
It is altogether symbolic that this new Olympic
tradition will begin in Innsbruck.
These Games will enhance a great legacy that
includes Innsbruck’s role as host of the 1964 and
1976 Olympic Winter Games.
Tonight, I can say with great pleasure….Innsbruck,
you have done it again!
I firstly want to thank the public authorities, the
dedicated organising committee and all of the
outstanding volunteers whose uniform I wear with
pride. They have worked so hard to ensure the
success of these Games.
To the athletes, I say…These Games exist for you.
You have come here from 70 countries not just to
compete against each other, but also to learn from
each other.
Some of the friendships formed over the next nine
days will last a lifetime, and so will the memories.
This evening marks your entry into the Olympic
world.
That honour comes with a great responsibility.
As the next generation of sports men and women,
you are now the role models that represent our
hopes for the future.
You have a chance to be true champions, not only
by winning medals, but by conducting yourself like
Olympians.
Strive for excellence, but compete with friendship
and respect for your opponents.
Reject doping and other shortcuts that cheat
yourself as well as others.
I now have the honour to ask His Excellency The
Federal President of the Republic of Austria, Dr
Heinz Fischer, to open the first Winter Youth
Olympic Games.
---
15 January 2012
First Winter Youth Olympic Games kick off in Innsbruck@IOC
The Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games officially got under way today with an Opening Ceremony at the Bergisel stadium, the iconic Olympic venue in the heart of Austria’s Tyrolean capital, Innsbruck.
With the snow-capped mountains providing a breathtaking backdrop, over 1,000 athletes aged 15 to 18 were greeted by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, and the Chairman of the Innsbruck 2012 Organising Committee, Richard Rubatscher.
Reflecting the Olympic heritage of Innsbruck, which staged the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Winter Games, the newly created Youth Olympic cauldron and the two existing cauldrons from the previous Games were set ablaze. The Ceremony fused Tyrolean tradition and modern youth culture, with entertainment including freestyle skiers and snowboarders jumping overhead and a paring of ancient Tyrolean dances with a hip hop crew. The stage and costumes were designed by young students from local colleges.
Addressing the crowd in the stadium, President Rogge said: “For the first time, young people from around the world have come together for the Winter Youth Olympic Games, a global celebration of sport and Olympic values.”
“You have come here from 70 countries not just to compete against each other, but also to learn from each other. Some of the friendships formed over the next nine days will last a lifetime, and so will the memories”, he added, reminding the audience that the Winter Youth Olympic Games, which will run from 13 to 22 January and feature a unique Culture and Education Programme, have been created and designed just for young athletes.
Those attending the Opening Ceremony included Austrian President Heinz Fischer, Coordination Commission Chairman for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gian-Franco Kasper, and Olympic champion and Youth Olympic Games Ambassador Yuna Kim.
In the next few days, Innsbruck 2012 will feature some of the world’s most talented young athletes taking part in the seven sports currently on the winter Olympic programme, including three new events: women’s ski jumping, ski halfpipe and snowboard slopestyle.
After their success at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, mixed-gender and mixed-country events will also form part of the programme, with a mixed Alpine skiing parallel team event and mixed-country short track skating team relay. In addition, mixed-sport events, such as cross-country biathlon, will be introduced for the first time.
These mixed events aim to strengthen bonds between the athletes and foster better understanding of each other’s cultures and backgrounds, a fundamental vision of the Youth Olympic Games.
With sport as a foundation, the Youth Olympic Games will give the young athletes their first taste of the Olympic experience and provide valuable lessons which they can leverage in their future careers, be it in sport or in other vocations.
The Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games officially got under way today with an Opening Ceremony at the Bergisel stadium, the iconic Olympic venue in the heart of Austria’s Tyrolean capital, Innsbruck.
With the snow-capped mountains providing a breathtaking backdrop, over 1,000 athletes aged 15 to 18 were greeted by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, and the Chairman of the Innsbruck 2012 Organising Committee, Richard Rubatscher.
Reflecting the Olympic heritage of Innsbruck, which staged the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Winter Games, the newly created Youth Olympic cauldron and the two existing cauldrons from the previous Games were set ablaze. The Ceremony fused Tyrolean tradition and modern youth culture, with entertainment including freestyle skiers and snowboarders jumping overhead and a paring of ancient Tyrolean dances with a hip hop crew. The stage and costumes were designed by young students from local colleges.
Addressing the crowd in the stadium, President Rogge said: “For the first time, young people from around the world have come together for the Winter Youth Olympic Games, a global celebration of sport and Olympic values.”
“You have come here from 70 countries not just to compete against each other, but also to learn from each other. Some of the friendships formed over the next nine days will last a lifetime, and so will the memories”, he added, reminding the audience that the Winter Youth Olympic Games, which will run from 13 to 22 January and feature a unique Culture and Education Programme, have been created and designed just for young athletes.
Those attending the Opening Ceremony included Austrian President Heinz Fischer, Coordination Commission Chairman for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gian-Franco Kasper, and Olympic champion and Youth Olympic Games Ambassador Yuna Kim.
In the next few days, Innsbruck 2012 will feature some of the world’s most talented young athletes taking part in the seven sports currently on the winter Olympic programme, including three new events: women’s ski jumping, ski halfpipe and snowboard slopestyle.
After their success at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, mixed-gender and mixed-country events will also form part of the programme, with a mixed Alpine skiing parallel team event and mixed-country short track skating team relay. In addition, mixed-sport events, such as cross-country biathlon, will be introduced for the first time.
These mixed events aim to strengthen bonds between the athletes and foster better understanding of each other’s cultures and backgrounds, a fundamental vision of the Youth Olympic Games.
With sport as a foundation, the Youth Olympic Games will give the young athletes their first taste of the Olympic experience and provide valuable lessons which they can leverage in their future careers, be it in sport or in other vocations.
31 December 2011
more Singaporean exercising
More people exercising: SSC survey@straits times
MORE people in Singapore are now exercising and playing some form of sports regularly. More are also into jogging.
These are the findings which have emerged from an internal survey conducted by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) on 4,000 households in September last year.
The SSC found that 57 per cent of those polled participate in sports and exercise at least once a week, an increase from 46 per cent in 2009. It is also higher than the 55 per cent recorded in 2006. The percentage of people who exercise at least three times a week has also gone up - from 22 per cent in 2009 to 26 per cent last year.
The survey also found that jogging is the most popular form of physical activity, followed by swimming and walking.
However, it seems that only certain groups of people, who have more time on their hands, tend to exercise more. For when the findings were broken down according to age-groups, teenagers aged 13-19 were found to be the most active (83 per cent). They were followed by senior citizens aged 60 and above (59 per cent).
In contrast, young adults aged 20-39 (51 per cent) and those aged between 40-59 (49 per cent) were found to be the least active.
On the whole, it looks like the SSC has achieved its aim of getting more people in Singapore to exercise.
Back in 2006, the SSC had vowed to target the specific needs of different age groups to get at least 50 per cent of Singaporeans active by this year. This was following the release of the results of the National Sports Participation Survey, which is conducted every five years. Back then, many people blamed work and family commitments for a lack of time for exercise.
SSC's Sports Pathways Development senior director Dr Bervyn Lee said: 'In the last five years, the SSC has launched various initiatives to encourage sports participation in Singapore at all levels and demographics.'
These initiatives include the Sports Education Programme introduced in 2007, the Let's Play movement in 2008, and the inaugural Singapore National Games next year, a community multi-sports competition.
MORE people in Singapore are now exercising and playing some form of sports regularly. More are also into jogging.
These are the findings which have emerged from an internal survey conducted by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) on 4,000 households in September last year.
The SSC found that 57 per cent of those polled participate in sports and exercise at least once a week, an increase from 46 per cent in 2009. It is also higher than the 55 per cent recorded in 2006. The percentage of people who exercise at least three times a week has also gone up - from 22 per cent in 2009 to 26 per cent last year.
The survey also found that jogging is the most popular form of physical activity, followed by swimming and walking.
However, it seems that only certain groups of people, who have more time on their hands, tend to exercise more. For when the findings were broken down according to age-groups, teenagers aged 13-19 were found to be the most active (83 per cent). They were followed by senior citizens aged 60 and above (59 per cent).
In contrast, young adults aged 20-39 (51 per cent) and those aged between 40-59 (49 per cent) were found to be the least active.
On the whole, it looks like the SSC has achieved its aim of getting more people in Singapore to exercise.
Back in 2006, the SSC had vowed to target the specific needs of different age groups to get at least 50 per cent of Singaporeans active by this year. This was following the release of the results of the National Sports Participation Survey, which is conducted every five years. Back then, many people blamed work and family commitments for a lack of time for exercise.
SSC's Sports Pathways Development senior director Dr Bervyn Lee said: 'In the last five years, the SSC has launched various initiatives to encourage sports participation in Singapore at all levels and demographics.'
These initiatives include the Sports Education Programme introduced in 2007, the Let's Play movement in 2008, and the inaugural Singapore National Games next year, a community multi-sports competition.
20 December 2011
funding for High Performance athletes in NZ
High Performance investments focused on big year of 2012@SPARC
Kiwi athletes and teams who have performed well this year and those likely to do well in an Olympic year are the big winners in today’s 2012 investment announcement by High Performance Sport New Zealand.
High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) Acting Chief Executive Martin Toomey says the focus of today’s announcement is on 2012, with new and continued investment support geared towards Kiwi athletes aiming for podium finishes or top 16 results next year.
``These investment decisions also recognise recent strong performances by Kiwi athletes. We’re really excited by how New Zealanders have been performing on the world stage and we know we’ve got a big year ahead of us with the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games,’’ he says.
``With our investment, we’re supporting sports with athletes who are capable of top 16 performances and podium finishes in 2012. Some new investment has been channeled into sports which have been producing great results on the world stage recently and are focused on doing even better next year.
``While these investment decisions are focused on 2012, we are also signaling support for sports which we expect to prove strong competition for our sporting rivals in 2016.’’
New Zealand’s equestrian eventing team, the men’s and women’s hockey teams, and the men’s and women’s basketball teams are among those to benefit from investment support in 2012.
Hockey is getting a top-up of $600,000 as a result of its performances at the 2011 Champions Trophy tournaments. The Black Sticks men, who finished fourth at the recent Champions Trophy tournament in Auckland, are getting $300,000 on top of the $800,000 they had already been allocated for 2012. This is in addition to the $100,000 HPSNZ provided towards hosting the Champions Trophy on home soil.
The Black Sticks women, who won a bronze medal at their Champions Trophy tournament, will get a top-up of $300,000 on their pre-existing 2012 allocation of $900,000.
New Zealand equestrian eventing is also among those to benefit from increased investment as they target the podium in London. The eventing team will get an extra $250,000 on top of the $1 million previously allocated for 2012.
Basketball benefits with the Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns both supported to qualify for the Olympic Games. Their allocation includes investment to help them to London if they succeed in qualifying.
Rowing is set to get an extra $500,000 on top of its previous allocation, bringing annual investment in its high performance programme to $4.82 million.
``Because Rowing NZ has already qualified 11 crews for the London Olympics and has more elite athletes in squads, it has higher overheads and some of the increased investment reflects that,’’ Toomey says.
BikeNZ will get an extra $200,000 to support its 2012 medal campaign. Part of its increased funding will support its fast-improving women’s track sprint programme.
Toomey says HPSNZ is also investing in Rugby Sevens and has signaled further investment in 2013, as the sport gears up towards entry to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. The investment in the New Zealand Rugby Union for its Sevens programme will support full-time Rugby Sevens coaching staff, Sevens-specific training camps, and international competition for the men and women.
Toomey says the applications for investment this year were for about twice the amount of money available.
Kiwi athletes and teams who have performed well this year and those likely to do well in an Olympic year are the big winners in today’s 2012 investment announcement by High Performance Sport New Zealand.
High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) Acting Chief Executive Martin Toomey says the focus of today’s announcement is on 2012, with new and continued investment support geared towards Kiwi athletes aiming for podium finishes or top 16 results next year.
``These investment decisions also recognise recent strong performances by Kiwi athletes. We’re really excited by how New Zealanders have been performing on the world stage and we know we’ve got a big year ahead of us with the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games,’’ he says.
``With our investment, we’re supporting sports with athletes who are capable of top 16 performances and podium finishes in 2012. Some new investment has been channeled into sports which have been producing great results on the world stage recently and are focused on doing even better next year.
``While these investment decisions are focused on 2012, we are also signaling support for sports which we expect to prove strong competition for our sporting rivals in 2016.’’
New Zealand’s equestrian eventing team, the men’s and women’s hockey teams, and the men’s and women’s basketball teams are among those to benefit from investment support in 2012.
Hockey is getting a top-up of $600,000 as a result of its performances at the 2011 Champions Trophy tournaments. The Black Sticks men, who finished fourth at the recent Champions Trophy tournament in Auckland, are getting $300,000 on top of the $800,000 they had already been allocated for 2012. This is in addition to the $100,000 HPSNZ provided towards hosting the Champions Trophy on home soil.
The Black Sticks women, who won a bronze medal at their Champions Trophy tournament, will get a top-up of $300,000 on their pre-existing 2012 allocation of $900,000.
New Zealand equestrian eventing is also among those to benefit from increased investment as they target the podium in London. The eventing team will get an extra $250,000 on top of the $1 million previously allocated for 2012.
Basketball benefits with the Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns both supported to qualify for the Olympic Games. Their allocation includes investment to help them to London if they succeed in qualifying.
Rowing is set to get an extra $500,000 on top of its previous allocation, bringing annual investment in its high performance programme to $4.82 million.
``Because Rowing NZ has already qualified 11 crews for the London Olympics and has more elite athletes in squads, it has higher overheads and some of the increased investment reflects that,’’ Toomey says.
BikeNZ will get an extra $200,000 to support its 2012 medal campaign. Part of its increased funding will support its fast-improving women’s track sprint programme.
Toomey says HPSNZ is also investing in Rugby Sevens and has signaled further investment in 2013, as the sport gears up towards entry to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. The investment in the New Zealand Rugby Union for its Sevens programme will support full-time Rugby Sevens coaching staff, Sevens-specific training camps, and international competition for the men and women.
Toomey says the applications for investment this year were for about twice the amount of money available.
09 December 2011
AIS Performance Recovery Symposium
Performance recovery at the Australian Institute of Sport@AIS
Performance recovery at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is provided on a day-to-day basis for non-injured athletes to enhance their ability to train daily and give them strategies they can use in competition. Performance recovery is an emerging speciality of high-performance sport, which now represents a significant aspect of an elite athlete’s training plan.
In 2002, Recovery was a division of the AIS Physiology Department with a staff of one. Now Performance Recovery at the AIS has grown to become a discipline in its own right with six staff.
Each Recovery Physiologist is responsible for servicing athletes from five to eight sports and engaging in their research areas within the Recovery discipline. Evidence-based recovery programs are designed to assist athletes with treatment from physiological stressors associated with training and performance including inflammation, soreness, energy-substrate depletion, oxidative stress, nervous system fatigue, muscle damage and high-core temperatures.
The founding member of Performance Recovery and now its Head of Department, Dr. Shona Halson, began at the AIS in 2002. During her PhD she specialised in overtraining, particularly fatigue, investigating hormonal responses to overtraining and overreaching as well as carbohydrate metabolism, performance and mood changes. Her work at the AIS centres on recovery which is essential for athletes when high levels of fatigue are present.
Dr. Halson explains why Australia is one of the leaders in Performance Recovery.
’As athletes train harder and harder and place more demands on their body and their mind, we need to help them to continue to train at a high level, to minimise excessive fatigue and injury; and to ensure that when they compete they have as low levels of fatigue as possible,’ Dr Halson said.
‘Many other countries view it as recovery from injury, the AIS does that as well in terms of our Physical Therapies Department, but we look at its application from day-to-day training and between events during competition, which is very different”.
The AIS Recovery Centre opened in 2006 and demand for these services continues to increase. Each programmed recovery session is supervised and tailored dependent on environmental conditions, type of athlete and how fatigued the athlete is.
The key recovery strategies are: hydrotherapy, sleep optimisation and compression. These are also the areas in which most of the Recovery department’s research is focussed. Dr. Halson emphasises the importance of research in this new area of high-performance sport to ensure that they can best understand how to apply these strategies using new and improved protocols.
Part of the Recovery Centre research focuses on mechanisms underlying why hydrotherapy is an effective component of athlete recovery. The main techniques used in hydrotherapy are cold water immersion and contrast water therapy, which alternates hot and cold water immersion. Dr. Halson and her colleagues assess how hydrotherapy affects an athlete’s core, skin and muscle temperature, blood flow, hormonal responses and mood responses. Through their research they are also developing sports-specific hydrotherapy protocols.
Dr. Halson considers the guidelines and education provided for athletes around sleep to be their best recovery strategy, yet, despite its importance, there is limited objective research on sleep and elite athletes. In collaboration with the University of South Australia Centre for Sleep Research, a number of sleep studies with AIS athletes are being conducted. Sleep guidelines are tailored to each athlete (based on their individual research data).
The use of compression garments is another area of research in Performance Recovery. Partnering in research and development with 2XU (who supply garments for athletes), Dr. Halson reports that there can be positive physiological, perceptual and performance effects of compression for recovery.
Dr Halson says though recovery practices have been used for centuries, it is only in the last five to six years that it has become more evidence-based. ‘As our knowledge increases and uptake of recovery by coaches increases, there has been a natural progression for recovery as a discipline,’ Dr Halson said. ‘The scientific backing, the development of facilities and implementing recovery as a more structured and formal as part of an athlete’s training program have all helped the rise of recovery.’
An evidence based approach for some of the recovery practices is a significant development in this discipline. Further to this, being able to assist athletes in getting good sleep is the next focus for the recovery at the AIS. It is understood that athletes who don’t have good sleep are more prone to illness and potentially becoming overreached. Reduced or poor quality sleep can especially affect athletes from sports requiring high levels of cognition, such as team sports, where reaction time is important and athletes need to strategise and anticipate.
The Performance Recovery Centre at the AIS is an essential component of an athlete’s training regime, but it is just as important for athletes to have access to these resources when they are competing. To that end, Dr. Halson and her colleagues plan to establish a recovery centre for Australian athletes competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The recovery centre will provide hydrotherapy, massage, active recovery and stretching areas, nutritional and psychological services to athletes.
The next Olympic cycle should see exciting developments in Performance Recovery with novel research into recovery and the brain being Dr. Halson’s key area of interest. Important questions she is looking to answer include whether or not the brain can be manipulated to help athletes sleep, and which recovery strategies might change brain state that could improve sleep.
’The brain controls everything and we now have better technology to understand what is happening at a neural level,’ Dr Halson said. I am very interested to see the effects of recovery on brain state.
‘Many athletes feel better when they have done recovery and I am interested to know if these changes can be observed in the brain.’
As Dr. Halson and her team are gaining an insight into sleep, recovery and brain functioning, development and implementation of these additional cutting-edge recommendations will serve to further enhance the physiological and psychological restoration of our athletes.
The Australian Institute of Sport will be hosting the inaugural AIS Performance Recovery Symposium from 12 to 13 December, 2011. Speakers from the AIS and external experts will discuss recovery strategies around sleep, travel, hydrotherapy, nutrition, physiology, psychology, compression, monitoring, and athletes with a disability
Performance recovery at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is provided on a day-to-day basis for non-injured athletes to enhance their ability to train daily and give them strategies they can use in competition. Performance recovery is an emerging speciality of high-performance sport, which now represents a significant aspect of an elite athlete’s training plan.
In 2002, Recovery was a division of the AIS Physiology Department with a staff of one. Now Performance Recovery at the AIS has grown to become a discipline in its own right with six staff.
Each Recovery Physiologist is responsible for servicing athletes from five to eight sports and engaging in their research areas within the Recovery discipline. Evidence-based recovery programs are designed to assist athletes with treatment from physiological stressors associated with training and performance including inflammation, soreness, energy-substrate depletion, oxidative stress, nervous system fatigue, muscle damage and high-core temperatures.
The founding member of Performance Recovery and now its Head of Department, Dr. Shona Halson, began at the AIS in 2002. During her PhD she specialised in overtraining, particularly fatigue, investigating hormonal responses to overtraining and overreaching as well as carbohydrate metabolism, performance and mood changes. Her work at the AIS centres on recovery which is essential for athletes when high levels of fatigue are present.
Dr. Halson explains why Australia is one of the leaders in Performance Recovery.
’As athletes train harder and harder and place more demands on their body and their mind, we need to help them to continue to train at a high level, to minimise excessive fatigue and injury; and to ensure that when they compete they have as low levels of fatigue as possible,’ Dr Halson said.
‘Many other countries view it as recovery from injury, the AIS does that as well in terms of our Physical Therapies Department, but we look at its application from day-to-day training and between events during competition, which is very different”.
The AIS Recovery Centre opened in 2006 and demand for these services continues to increase. Each programmed recovery session is supervised and tailored dependent on environmental conditions, type of athlete and how fatigued the athlete is.
The key recovery strategies are: hydrotherapy, sleep optimisation and compression. These are also the areas in which most of the Recovery department’s research is focussed. Dr. Halson emphasises the importance of research in this new area of high-performance sport to ensure that they can best understand how to apply these strategies using new and improved protocols.
Part of the Recovery Centre research focuses on mechanisms underlying why hydrotherapy is an effective component of athlete recovery. The main techniques used in hydrotherapy are cold water immersion and contrast water therapy, which alternates hot and cold water immersion. Dr. Halson and her colleagues assess how hydrotherapy affects an athlete’s core, skin and muscle temperature, blood flow, hormonal responses and mood responses. Through their research they are also developing sports-specific hydrotherapy protocols.
Dr. Halson considers the guidelines and education provided for athletes around sleep to be their best recovery strategy, yet, despite its importance, there is limited objective research on sleep and elite athletes. In collaboration with the University of South Australia Centre for Sleep Research, a number of sleep studies with AIS athletes are being conducted. Sleep guidelines are tailored to each athlete (based on their individual research data).
The use of compression garments is another area of research in Performance Recovery. Partnering in research and development with 2XU (who supply garments for athletes), Dr. Halson reports that there can be positive physiological, perceptual and performance effects of compression for recovery.
Dr Halson says though recovery practices have been used for centuries, it is only in the last five to six years that it has become more evidence-based. ‘As our knowledge increases and uptake of recovery by coaches increases, there has been a natural progression for recovery as a discipline,’ Dr Halson said. ‘The scientific backing, the development of facilities and implementing recovery as a more structured and formal as part of an athlete’s training program have all helped the rise of recovery.’
An evidence based approach for some of the recovery practices is a significant development in this discipline. Further to this, being able to assist athletes in getting good sleep is the next focus for the recovery at the AIS. It is understood that athletes who don’t have good sleep are more prone to illness and potentially becoming overreached. Reduced or poor quality sleep can especially affect athletes from sports requiring high levels of cognition, such as team sports, where reaction time is important and athletes need to strategise and anticipate.
The Performance Recovery Centre at the AIS is an essential component of an athlete’s training regime, but it is just as important for athletes to have access to these resources when they are competing. To that end, Dr. Halson and her colleagues plan to establish a recovery centre for Australian athletes competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The recovery centre will provide hydrotherapy, massage, active recovery and stretching areas, nutritional and psychological services to athletes.
The next Olympic cycle should see exciting developments in Performance Recovery with novel research into recovery and the brain being Dr. Halson’s key area of interest. Important questions she is looking to answer include whether or not the brain can be manipulated to help athletes sleep, and which recovery strategies might change brain state that could improve sleep.
’The brain controls everything and we now have better technology to understand what is happening at a neural level,’ Dr Halson said. I am very interested to see the effects of recovery on brain state.
‘Many athletes feel better when they have done recovery and I am interested to know if these changes can be observed in the brain.’
As Dr. Halson and her team are gaining an insight into sleep, recovery and brain functioning, development and implementation of these additional cutting-edge recommendations will serve to further enhance the physiological and psychological restoration of our athletes.
The Australian Institute of Sport will be hosting the inaugural AIS Performance Recovery Symposium from 12 to 13 December, 2011. Speakers from the AIS and external experts will discuss recovery strategies around sleep, travel, hydrotherapy, nutrition, physiology, psychology, compression, monitoring, and athletes with a disability
29 November 2011
Singapore to host 2015 SEA Games
SEA Games: Singapore to host 2015 SEA Games@CNA
Singapore will host the 2015 edition of the SEA Games.
This was confirmed at the SEA Games Federation council meeting on Saturday in Palembang, where Singapore were the only member nation to submit an official bid.
This will be the fourth time Singapore will host the Games after the Lion City last staged it in 1993.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), announced the news to reporters at the Jakabaring Aquatics Complex.
Mr Teo was one of the heads of the regional National Olympic Committees who attended the meeting.
Cambodia were also considering to bid for the 2015 Games, but will now make a possible bid for the 2017 edition.
The next SEA Games in 2013 will be held in Myanmar.
DPM Teo said: "It's very different from the YOG (Youth Olympic Games). The YOG had many different countries participating but each one has a small contingent. We will have slightly more athletes than the YOG, but there will be fewer contingents of course - 11 contingents, but many more athletes for each contingent."
Singapore will host the 2015 edition of the SEA Games.
This was confirmed at the SEA Games Federation council meeting on Saturday in Palembang, where Singapore were the only member nation to submit an official bid.
This will be the fourth time Singapore will host the Games after the Lion City last staged it in 1993.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), announced the news to reporters at the Jakabaring Aquatics Complex.
Mr Teo was one of the heads of the regional National Olympic Committees who attended the meeting.
Cambodia were also considering to bid for the 2015 Games, but will now make a possible bid for the 2017 edition.
The next SEA Games in 2013 will be held in Myanmar.
DPM Teo said: "It's very different from the YOG (Youth Olympic Games). The YOG had many different countries participating but each one has a small contingent. We will have slightly more athletes than the YOG, but there will be fewer contingents of course - 11 contingents, but many more athletes for each contingent."
27 October 2011
Alex Baumann as Chief Executive of High Performance Sport NZ
Canadian swimming great to lead High Performance Sport New Zealand@HPS NZ
Canadian swimming great Alex Baumann has today been named as the new Chief Executive of High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Baumann, 47, is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Own the Podium, Canada’s high performance sport programme. He will take up the new role on January 31 next year.
High Performance Sport New Zealand Board chairman Paul Collins says there was an extremely strong field of both local and international applicants for the role, and the board was delighted with the calibre of the appointment.
“We carried out an international search because we wanted someone with the right mix of skills and experience, someone who would bring something really special to this role,” he said.
“Alex Baumann has had an extensive career in high performance sport, both as an athlete and sport administrator. We’re thrilled that he is keen to be part of our vision for high performance sport in New Zealand.”
Baumann is one of Canada’s greatest swimmers, winning gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in both the 200 metre and 400m individual medley races, and in world record times. He also won five gold medals and two silver medals at the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games.
He was twice named World Male Swimmer of the Year, in 1981 and 1984, and is a member of the Canadian Sports and Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. He has been made an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received the Order of Ontario
Baumann was born in Prague and moved to Canada with his family as a child. He is married to an Australian and spent 15 years living there, during which he was the Executive Director for the Queensland Academy of Sport and Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Swimming. He returned to Canada five years ago to work with that country’s high performance athletes, becoming CE of Own The Podium in April last year.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Murray McCully says Baumann’s appointment is a coup for New Zealand as he has such outstanding international credentials.
“This is a very significant appointment, and indicates how serious the Government is about taking our high performance sport programme to a new level,” he says.
“High performance sport here is getting the largest Government funding injection in its history. We want a culture of excellence, and someone of Alex Baumann’s standing is the right person to lead that.”
Baumann says this is an exciting opportunity for him.
“I’ve always admired how New Zealand does so well on the international stage for a relatively small country. I have a lot of respect for what you’ve achieved, and I’m looking forward to working with the team and seeing what is possible.”
Baumann says he and his wife and two teenage children will also enjoy the opportunity to be closer to family in Australia.
Canadian swimming great Alex Baumann has today been named as the new Chief Executive of High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Baumann, 47, is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Own the Podium, Canada’s high performance sport programme. He will take up the new role on January 31 next year.
High Performance Sport New Zealand Board chairman Paul Collins says there was an extremely strong field of both local and international applicants for the role, and the board was delighted with the calibre of the appointment.
“We carried out an international search because we wanted someone with the right mix of skills and experience, someone who would bring something really special to this role,” he said.
“Alex Baumann has had an extensive career in high performance sport, both as an athlete and sport administrator. We’re thrilled that he is keen to be part of our vision for high performance sport in New Zealand.”
Baumann is one of Canada’s greatest swimmers, winning gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in both the 200 metre and 400m individual medley races, and in world record times. He also won five gold medals and two silver medals at the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games.
He was twice named World Male Swimmer of the Year, in 1981 and 1984, and is a member of the Canadian Sports and Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. He has been made an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received the Order of Ontario
Baumann was born in Prague and moved to Canada with his family as a child. He is married to an Australian and spent 15 years living there, during which he was the Executive Director for the Queensland Academy of Sport and Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Swimming. He returned to Canada five years ago to work with that country’s high performance athletes, becoming CE of Own The Podium in April last year.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Murray McCully says Baumann’s appointment is a coup for New Zealand as he has such outstanding international credentials.
“This is a very significant appointment, and indicates how serious the Government is about taking our high performance sport programme to a new level,” he says.
“High performance sport here is getting the largest Government funding injection in its history. We want a culture of excellence, and someone of Alex Baumann’s standing is the right person to lead that.”
Baumann says this is an exciting opportunity for him.
“I’ve always admired how New Zealand does so well on the international stage for a relatively small country. I have a lot of respect for what you’ve achieved, and I’m looking forward to working with the team and seeing what is possible.”
Baumann says he and his wife and two teenage children will also enjoy the opportunity to be closer to family in Australia.
NZ National Training Centre@AUT
Official opening for National Training Centre for high performance athletes at Auckland@HPS NZ
Minister for Sport and Recreation Murray McCully says New Zealanders can look forward to seeing more Kiwi winners on the world stage, as the doors officially open today at the National Training Centre for high performance athletes in Auckland.
High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) is based at the National Training Centre at the AUT Millennium Campus, on Auckland’s North Shore.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Murray McCully (left) and IOC President Jacques Rogge unveil the plaque at the official opening of the National Training Centre at the Millennium Institute.
HPSNZ was established in August by merging SPARC’s high performance unit with the two New Zealand Academies of Sport, and today its new chief executive Alex Baumann was in Auckland for the official opening. Baumann, one of Canada’s greatest ever swimmers, was appointed to the position recently and starts his new role at the end of January 2012.
Mr McCully said today that at the heart of the new organisation was a commitment to excellence.
“The whole team at HPSNZ is dedicated to providing the best support to New Zealand’s elite athletes so that they can perform at their best and win for New Zealand,’’ the Minister says.
“High Performance Sport New Zealand will have an annual spend of $60 million, up on $40m a year previously, and the Government has committed just under $32m to develop world-class training and competition facilities in partnerships with the private sector.
“Our belief is that this investment in facilities coupled with a dedicated high performance system with its focus on excellence will be the envy of other countries, will bring winning results which all New Zealanders can be proud of, and will inspire the next generation of elite Kiwi competitors.
“It’s very exciting to see top athletes using our newest high performance facility, here at the National Training Centre in Auckland.’’
The National Training Centre for high performance athletes was today officially opened by the Minister and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge, who is in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup.
The Government made a $15m cornerstone investment in a more than $40m redevelopment at the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health to provide world-class facilities for high performance athletes. These facilities include testing, training, treatment and recovery areas for high performance athletes as well as HPSNZ offices and support areas.
The Government has also invested in regional high performance centres at Wellington and Dunedin, a national cycling centre of excellence which will be based at Cambridge and have operations for all Olympic bike disciplines, the high performance centre for rowing at Lake Karapiro, and an ocean water sports centre in Auckland. The Government is also committed to providing high performance training facilities for Canterbury-based athletes.
Mr McCully also announced today that to reflect the alignment of the sport system and HPSNZ, from next year SPARC will be known as Sport New Zealand.
“SPARC’s strategic focus has changed in recent years and Sport NZ better captures this. Sport NZ will continue to invest in community sport and recreation and build capacity across the entire sector in its role leading the single sport and recreation system.’’
Minister for Sport and Recreation Murray McCully says New Zealanders can look forward to seeing more Kiwi winners on the world stage, as the doors officially open today at the National Training Centre for high performance athletes in Auckland.
High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) is based at the National Training Centre at the AUT Millennium Campus, on Auckland’s North Shore.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Murray McCully (left) and IOC President Jacques Rogge unveil the plaque at the official opening of the National Training Centre at the Millennium Institute.
HPSNZ was established in August by merging SPARC’s high performance unit with the two New Zealand Academies of Sport, and today its new chief executive Alex Baumann was in Auckland for the official opening. Baumann, one of Canada’s greatest ever swimmers, was appointed to the position recently and starts his new role at the end of January 2012.
Mr McCully said today that at the heart of the new organisation was a commitment to excellence.
“The whole team at HPSNZ is dedicated to providing the best support to New Zealand’s elite athletes so that they can perform at their best and win for New Zealand,’’ the Minister says.
“High Performance Sport New Zealand will have an annual spend of $60 million, up on $40m a year previously, and the Government has committed just under $32m to develop world-class training and competition facilities in partnerships with the private sector.
“Our belief is that this investment in facilities coupled with a dedicated high performance system with its focus on excellence will be the envy of other countries, will bring winning results which all New Zealanders can be proud of, and will inspire the next generation of elite Kiwi competitors.
“It’s very exciting to see top athletes using our newest high performance facility, here at the National Training Centre in Auckland.’’
The National Training Centre for high performance athletes was today officially opened by the Minister and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge, who is in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup.
The Government made a $15m cornerstone investment in a more than $40m redevelopment at the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health to provide world-class facilities for high performance athletes. These facilities include testing, training, treatment and recovery areas for high performance athletes as well as HPSNZ offices and support areas.
The Government has also invested in regional high performance centres at Wellington and Dunedin, a national cycling centre of excellence which will be based at Cambridge and have operations for all Olympic bike disciplines, the high performance centre for rowing at Lake Karapiro, and an ocean water sports centre in Auckland. The Government is also committed to providing high performance training facilities for Canterbury-based athletes.
Mr McCully also announced today that to reflect the alignment of the sport system and HPSNZ, from next year SPARC will be known as Sport New Zealand.
“SPARC’s strategic focus has changed in recent years and Sport NZ better captures this. Sport NZ will continue to invest in community sport and recreation and build capacity across the entire sector in its role leading the single sport and recreation system.’’
24 August 2011
reshaping High Performance Sport NZ
Reshaping high performance sport@HPSNZ
Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully, has announced the inaugural board of directors for the new organisation “High Performance Sport New Zealand.”
High Performance Sport NZ has been formed by merging the SPARC high performance unit with the two New Zealand Academies of Sport into a streamlined unit.
It will develop high performance athletes with an annual spend of $60 million dollars and further develop world-class training facilities in partnerships with the private sector.
“I am pleased the current Chairman of SPARC, Paul Collins, will be the first Chairman of High Performance Sport New Zealand,” said Mr McCully.
The other board appointments consist of three sitting members from the SPARC board: Katie Sadleir, Don Mackinnon and Bill Birnie; NZ Academy of Sport nominations Mike Stanley (North Island) and Peter Cox (South Island); New Zealand Olympic Committee nominee, Simon Wickham; and two independent members, Mark Weldon and Hamish Carter. The Board also includes SPARC CEO Peter Miskimmin as an ex-officio member.
“This is a significant announcement for high performance sport in New Zealand, as this new entity will focus on building a culture which pursues excellence and allows athletes to focus on performance rather than funding,” said Mr McCully.
Earlier this year, SPARC and the New Zealand Academies of Sport announced an agreement in principle to merge. Since then a working group has been working on the design of the new entity, which will be a subsidiary of SPARC, but which will have a majority of external directors.
“High Performance Sport NZ will have its own CEO and an international search is now underway as part of the transition process,” said the Minister.
The new Chairman of High Performance Sport New Zealand, Paul Collins, says input from the NZOC, sport organisations, coaches and athletes is proving valuable in finalising the design and transition plan for the new entity.
“The Government injection of new capital and operating funding last year has presented the sector with an amazing opportunity to assess what’s possible,” he said.
Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully, has announced the inaugural board of directors for the new organisation “High Performance Sport New Zealand.”
High Performance Sport NZ has been formed by merging the SPARC high performance unit with the two New Zealand Academies of Sport into a streamlined unit.
It will develop high performance athletes with an annual spend of $60 million dollars and further develop world-class training facilities in partnerships with the private sector.
“I am pleased the current Chairman of SPARC, Paul Collins, will be the first Chairman of High Performance Sport New Zealand,” said Mr McCully.
The other board appointments consist of three sitting members from the SPARC board: Katie Sadleir, Don Mackinnon and Bill Birnie; NZ Academy of Sport nominations Mike Stanley (North Island) and Peter Cox (South Island); New Zealand Olympic Committee nominee, Simon Wickham; and two independent members, Mark Weldon and Hamish Carter. The Board also includes SPARC CEO Peter Miskimmin as an ex-officio member.
“This is a significant announcement for high performance sport in New Zealand, as this new entity will focus on building a culture which pursues excellence and allows athletes to focus on performance rather than funding,” said Mr McCully.
Earlier this year, SPARC and the New Zealand Academies of Sport announced an agreement in principle to merge. Since then a working group has been working on the design of the new entity, which will be a subsidiary of SPARC, but which will have a majority of external directors.
“High Performance Sport NZ will have its own CEO and an international search is now underway as part of the transition process,” said the Minister.
The new Chairman of High Performance Sport New Zealand, Paul Collins, says input from the NZOC, sport organisations, coaches and athletes is proving valuable in finalising the design and transition plan for the new entity.
“The Government injection of new capital and operating funding last year has presented the sector with an amazing opportunity to assess what’s possible,” he said.
16 August 2011
A year to go: engineering sport for London 2012
The common perception of engineering and sport is that of shiny new bikes, aerodynamic helmets and sleek bobsleds. I often get asked, “isn’t it just the best equipment that wins now, rather than the athlete?” The answer – to me at least – is obviously “no” and I’ve spent my working life working on sports engineering. I’ll explain why.
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a celebration at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate the ‘backroom’ achievements of the engineers and scientists used by UK Sport to help their sports. On the main stage was Amy Williams, UK’s skeleton bobsleigh Gold medalist from Vancouver, along with “Arthur” her trusty sled. The easy headline is one of a single piece of equipment as some sort of magic for winning a gold medal and the project won The Engineer’s Sports Innovation Award in 2010.
The common perception of engineering and sport is that of shiny new bikes, aerodynamic helmets and sleek bobsleds. I often get asked, “isn’t it just the best equipment that wins now, rather than the athlete?” The answer – to me at least – is obviously “no” and I’ve spent my working life working on sports engineering. I’ll explain why.
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a celebration at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate the ‘backroom’ achievements of the engineers and scientists used by UK Sport to help their sports. On the main stage was Amy Williams, UK’s skeleton bobsleigh Gold medalist from Vancouver, along with “Arthur” her trusty sled. The easy headline is one of a single piece of equipment as some sort of magic for winning a gold medal and the project won The Engineer’s Sports Innovation Award in 2010.
15 August 2011
YOG 2010 legacy: Singapore Youth Olympic Festival
A year ago yesterday, Singapore was awash in Youth Olympic Games (YOG) fever as a dazzling opening ceremony at the Floating Platform at Marina Bay kicked off 12 days of sporting competition for the inaugural games.
Yesterday morning, some 1,000 of the 20,000 volunteers who helped ensure the YOG ran smoothly - affectionately dubbed the Purple Army - turned up for the Singapore Youth Olympic Festival, the first of an annual reunion organised by the Singapore Olympic Foundation to continue the legacy of the historic games.
This year's festival at the Singapore Expo is a week-long showcase of five different sports - futsal, table-tennis, badminton, basketball and taekwondo.
Singapore National Olympic Council president Teo Chee Hean noted that the Youth Olympics had generated greater interest for certain sports, among them archery and fencing.
"What's important is the wonderful spirit taken forward ... We want more young people to be interested in sports, (to) build a bigger base so that we can develop good sportsmen.
"What we need is good organisation, good volunteers to come forward and sports federations that are well-managed," he added.
Youth Olympic medallists Audrey Yong (sailing) and Jeffrey Lightfoot (football) helped to hand over a donation to four badminton players from Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima prefecture who are here for the festival.
The festivities were also attended by Ino Menegaki, the High Priestess of the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony from Olympia, Greece.
Yesterday morning, some 1,000 of the 20,000 volunteers who helped ensure the YOG ran smoothly - affectionately dubbed the Purple Army - turned up for the Singapore Youth Olympic Festival, the first of an annual reunion organised by the Singapore Olympic Foundation to continue the legacy of the historic games.
This year's festival at the Singapore Expo is a week-long showcase of five different sports - futsal, table-tennis, badminton, basketball and taekwondo.
Singapore National Olympic Council president Teo Chee Hean noted that the Youth Olympics had generated greater interest for certain sports, among them archery and fencing.
"What's important is the wonderful spirit taken forward ... We want more young people to be interested in sports, (to) build a bigger base so that we can develop good sportsmen.
"What we need is good organisation, good volunteers to come forward and sports federations that are well-managed," he added.
Youth Olympic medallists Audrey Yong (sailing) and Jeffrey Lightfoot (football) helped to hand over a donation to four badminton players from Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima prefecture who are here for the festival.
The festivities were also attended by Ino Menegaki, the High Priestess of the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony from Olympia, Greece.
05 August 2011
Team Singapore recovery centre@London Olympics
Better sports medicine support for S'pore Olympians in 2012@straits times
THE Singapore Sports Council (SSC) has ramped up its activities to provide the best facilities for the country's athletes for the London 2012 Olympics.
Kicking off its list of preparations is the agreement the SSC has signed with the University of East London (UEL) to base the Team Singapore recovery centre at its Stratford Campus, SSC said in a press release.
This is where SSC will offer a wider range of sports medicine and sports science support for Team Singapore athletes compared to any other Olympic Games in the past. Occupying a space of about 270sqm on the premises of the temporary teaching building, it is a short five-minute drive away from the Athlete's Village. This Team Singapore recovery centre is about three times bigger than the one it had at the Beijing Olympics. The additional space allows for a wider range of recovery services to be available to the athletes, including nutrition and physiology, which were not offered at the last Olympics.
A team of eight sports medicine and sports science staff comprising a medical officer, psychologist, nutritionist, physiologist and four physiotherapists and masseurs will be based at this centre. Following Team USA, Team Singapore is the second, to secure a space at UEL for its onsite operations for the Games.
'The Team Singapore recovery centre plays a critical role in our athletes' performance as it will keep them in optimal condition to compete. Finding a good location, coupled with a comprehensive suite of services were key priorities,' said Bob Gambardella, chief of Sports Development Group and Singapore Sports Institute, SSC. 'Being so close to the Village will allow our athletes to make an easy and seamless transition to the recovery centre', added Gambardella who was present at the signing ceremony at UEL.
UEL Pro Vice-Chancellor Selena Bolingbroke welcomed the deal and said: 'The partnership is also an opportunity to build the legacy that will continue beyond 2012 and into the future, to boost participation in sport and meet UEL's aim of being the best university in London for sport by 2015.'
THE Singapore Sports Council (SSC) has ramped up its activities to provide the best facilities for the country's athletes for the London 2012 Olympics.
Kicking off its list of preparations is the agreement the SSC has signed with the University of East London (UEL) to base the Team Singapore recovery centre at its Stratford Campus, SSC said in a press release.
This is where SSC will offer a wider range of sports medicine and sports science support for Team Singapore athletes compared to any other Olympic Games in the past. Occupying a space of about 270sqm on the premises of the temporary teaching building, it is a short five-minute drive away from the Athlete's Village. This Team Singapore recovery centre is about three times bigger than the one it had at the Beijing Olympics. The additional space allows for a wider range of recovery services to be available to the athletes, including nutrition and physiology, which were not offered at the last Olympics.
A team of eight sports medicine and sports science staff comprising a medical officer, psychologist, nutritionist, physiologist and four physiotherapists and masseurs will be based at this centre. Following Team USA, Team Singapore is the second, to secure a space at UEL for its onsite operations for the Games.
'The Team Singapore recovery centre plays a critical role in our athletes' performance as it will keep them in optimal condition to compete. Finding a good location, coupled with a comprehensive suite of services were key priorities,' said Bob Gambardella, chief of Sports Development Group and Singapore Sports Institute, SSC. 'Being so close to the Village will allow our athletes to make an easy and seamless transition to the recovery centre', added Gambardella who was present at the signing ceremony at UEL.
UEL Pro Vice-Chancellor Selena Bolingbroke welcomed the deal and said: 'The partnership is also an opportunity to build the legacy that will continue beyond 2012 and into the future, to boost participation in sport and meet UEL's aim of being the best university in London for sport by 2015.'
06 July 2011
Singapore as a swimming training base 2
Plenty for swim fans to dive into@straits times
SWIM fans will get a chance to meet some of the world's top swimmers when they dock here for training camps ahead of next week's World Championships in Shanghai.
The Australian team, featuring Olympic gold medallists Stephanie Rice and Leisel Jones, will host a training-cum-autograph session at Tanah Merah Country Club on July 16.
On the same day, the French team, including reigning Olympics 100m freestyle champion Alain Bernard, will be signing autographs at the Singapore Sports School.
Some 300 swimmers, divers, and water polo players from 25 countries will be in town from this weekend. The contingents include powerhouses Canada (swimming) and Hungary (water polo).
Since 2006, about 1,500 athletes from 30 countries - including American swimmer Michael Phelps - have made training stops in Singapore.
In the case of the World Championships, Singapore is considered an ideal stopover because it shares the same time zone and a similar climate with Shanghai.
While in town, water polo players and divers will also be serving up some competitive action.
From July 9 to 13, a pre-World Championships water polo tournament will be held at Toa Payoh Swimming Complex. The competition features six teams.
Sweden's diving queen Anna Lindberg will also feature at the 2nd Singapore Diving Invitational from July 8 to 10 at the same venue.
She is the European champion in the 3m springboard and will be joined by divers from Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia.
Singapore Sports Council's sports development group chief Bob Gambardella said the Republic has plenty to gain from the visiting athletes.
'They bring with them experience and knowledge that we will be able to tap into and share with the local sports fraternity,' he said.
SWIM fans will get a chance to meet some of the world's top swimmers when they dock here for training camps ahead of next week's World Championships in Shanghai.
The Australian team, featuring Olympic gold medallists Stephanie Rice and Leisel Jones, will host a training-cum-autograph session at Tanah Merah Country Club on July 16.
On the same day, the French team, including reigning Olympics 100m freestyle champion Alain Bernard, will be signing autographs at the Singapore Sports School.
Some 300 swimmers, divers, and water polo players from 25 countries will be in town from this weekend. The contingents include powerhouses Canada (swimming) and Hungary (water polo).
Since 2006, about 1,500 athletes from 30 countries - including American swimmer Michael Phelps - have made training stops in Singapore.
In the case of the World Championships, Singapore is considered an ideal stopover because it shares the same time zone and a similar climate with Shanghai.
While in town, water polo players and divers will also be serving up some competitive action.
From July 9 to 13, a pre-World Championships water polo tournament will be held at Toa Payoh Swimming Complex. The competition features six teams.
Sweden's diving queen Anna Lindberg will also feature at the 2nd Singapore Diving Invitational from July 8 to 10 at the same venue.
She is the European champion in the 3m springboard and will be joined by divers from Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia.
Singapore Sports Council's sports development group chief Bob Gambardella said the Republic has plenty to gain from the visiting athletes.
'They bring with them experience and knowledge that we will be able to tap into and share with the local sports fraternity,' he said.
02 July 2011
Singapore Youth Olympic Festival as a YOG legacy
A Youth Olympic Festival for all@straits times
THE spirit of last August's inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is set to live on - in the form of the upcoming Singapore Youth Olympic Festival (SYOF).
From Aug 13-21, the public will get to take part in the SYOF, which will be held in conjunction with the first Community Sports Competition (CSC).
They will be able to choose from five sports - table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, three-on-three basketball and five-a-side football - at the Singapore Expo.
Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Singapore Olympic Foundation, announced yesterday that the annual event will serve as a 'platform to encourage youth to take up sports' and mark the YOG's first anniversary.
Said Ng, who is also an International Olympic Committee vice-president: 'There have been a lot of complaints that young people have to go through school competitions and have no formal opportunity to participate in sports they like.'
'This is going to be a very open event without any qualification marks.'
Flanked by six of the Republic's YOG medallists - taekwondo exponent Daryl Tan, sailor Audrey Yong, swimmer Rainer Ng as well as footballers Jeffrey Lightfoot, Dhukhilan Jeevamani and Sunny Ng - at the picturesque Marina Bay Golf Course, he added that future editions could be expanded to include athletes from other countries.
But, for now, organisers are hoping to draw at least 2,000 local athletes to this year's event, which is expected to cost around $800,000.
Said Ng: 'Anybodycan just put in an application and there will be different levels of athletes taking part. But I believe it will be an interesting competition and we might even discover some stars.'
Added footballer Dhukhilan, 16: 'It's a great way to inspire young people to try out a sport and you have to start somewhere.'
There will be three categories for the public to sign up for - Youth (13-16 years old), Open (17 years and above) and Masters (40 years and above).
For more details about the SYOF and how to take part, log on to www.singaporesports.sg
THE spirit of last August's inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is set to live on - in the form of the upcoming Singapore Youth Olympic Festival (SYOF).
From Aug 13-21, the public will get to take part in the SYOF, which will be held in conjunction with the first Community Sports Competition (CSC).
They will be able to choose from five sports - table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, three-on-three basketball and five-a-side football - at the Singapore Expo.
Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Singapore Olympic Foundation, announced yesterday that the annual event will serve as a 'platform to encourage youth to take up sports' and mark the YOG's first anniversary.
Said Ng, who is also an International Olympic Committee vice-president: 'There have been a lot of complaints that young people have to go through school competitions and have no formal opportunity to participate in sports they like.'
'This is going to be a very open event without any qualification marks.'
Flanked by six of the Republic's YOG medallists - taekwondo exponent Daryl Tan, sailor Audrey Yong, swimmer Rainer Ng as well as footballers Jeffrey Lightfoot, Dhukhilan Jeevamani and Sunny Ng - at the picturesque Marina Bay Golf Course, he added that future editions could be expanded to include athletes from other countries.
But, for now, organisers are hoping to draw at least 2,000 local athletes to this year's event, which is expected to cost around $800,000.
Said Ng: 'Anybodycan just put in an application and there will be different levels of athletes taking part. But I believe it will be an interesting competition and we might even discover some stars.'
Added footballer Dhukhilan, 16: 'It's a great way to inspire young people to try out a sport and you have to start somewhere.'
There will be three categories for the public to sign up for - Youth (13-16 years old), Open (17 years and above) and Masters (40 years and above).
For more details about the SYOF and how to take part, log on to www.singaporesports.sg
30 June 2011
IOC guidelines on blog and twitter during London 2012
Olympics chiefs approve Twitter use at London 2012@BBC
Competitors may write only "first-person, diary-type" entries but should not act as reporters, International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines say.
All social media activity must respect the Olympic Charter, which bans political demonstrations.
Postings deemed to be for commercial purposes will not be permitted.
The guidelines, which were highlighted by the Australian Olympic Committee on Monday after initially being published on the IOC website, explain that the IOC "actively encourages and supports athletes... to take part in 'social media' and to post, blog and tweet their experiences".
But the IOC cautioned that the accreditations of "any organisation or person... may be withdrawn without notice" if its guidelines are breached.
Athletes will be able to upload still photographs taken at venues - a practice which was mostly banned in Beijing in 2008 - but will not be allowed to sell or distribute them for other purposes.
The broadcast of video and audio taken inside Olympic venues will be banned but athletes may post videos taken elsewhere.
Athletes will not be able to use the official Olympics symbol, and any reference to the word "Olympic" must be factual and "not associated with any third party or any third party's products or services".
Internet domain names and URLs including the word "Olympic" or "Olympics" will not be allowed either, unless approved by the IOC.
The perils of Twitter postings made headlines in June when there was a very public disagreement between triple-jump world champion Phillips Idowu and the head of UK Athletics, Charles van Commenee.
Idowu angered Van Commenee by using the micro-blogging site to reveal he was pulling out of the European Team Championships.
Van Commenee responded by saying that "these things are done personally, there are certain channels you have to follow".
Competitors may write only "first-person, diary-type" entries but should not act as reporters, International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines say.
All social media activity must respect the Olympic Charter, which bans political demonstrations.
Postings deemed to be for commercial purposes will not be permitted.
The guidelines, which were highlighted by the Australian Olympic Committee on Monday after initially being published on the IOC website, explain that the IOC "actively encourages and supports athletes... to take part in 'social media' and to post, blog and tweet their experiences".
But the IOC cautioned that the accreditations of "any organisation or person... may be withdrawn without notice" if its guidelines are breached.
Athletes will be able to upload still photographs taken at venues - a practice which was mostly banned in Beijing in 2008 - but will not be allowed to sell or distribute them for other purposes.
The broadcast of video and audio taken inside Olympic venues will be banned but athletes may post videos taken elsewhere.
Athletes will not be able to use the official Olympics symbol, and any reference to the word "Olympic" must be factual and "not associated with any third party or any third party's products or services".
Internet domain names and URLs including the word "Olympic" or "Olympics" will not be allowed either, unless approved by the IOC.
The perils of Twitter postings made headlines in June when there was a very public disagreement between triple-jump world champion Phillips Idowu and the head of UK Athletics, Charles van Commenee.
Idowu angered Van Commenee by using the micro-blogging site to reveal he was pulling out of the European Team Championships.
Van Commenee responded by saying that "these things are done personally, there are certain channels you have to follow".
customised training programme for selected Singapore Sports School athletes
Target: World's Top 100@straits times
A SELECT group of student-athletes at the Singapore Sports School (SSP) will be put on a customised training programme aimed at moulding them into being among the world's best.
For these athletes, just donning national colours will not be enough.
'This project hopes to see its student-athletes reach top-100 world ranking standards from 2015,' said SSP principal Deborah Tan yesterday when announcing the School Within A School programme.
'While we continue to be a major pipeline for the Singapore national team... our school has yet to produce players that can achieve significant breakthroughs in the open category on the international stage.'
For now, SSP's tie-up is with the Singapore Badminton Association, Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) and the Singapore Golf Association.
Eighteen students from these three National Sports Associations are on the programme.
'We're going with a modest start for now,' said Tan. 'If the programme holds up very well, there's no reason not to include more talented student-athletes into it.'
She added that the SSP is also looking at introducing other sports to the programme.
Funding for the programme will come from the $35 million EW Barker Endowment awarded to the SSP last year.
Training for this elite group will last longer than usual and will take place in the day, with schoolwork at night.
They will also get a team of coaches, sparring partners and teachers. There will just be three to five students in a class. The usual class size in the SSP is about 25.
These athletes' academic and sporting performances will be key to their continued stay in the programme.
For shuttler Fiona Seah, the biggest adjustment will not be the training but the night classes.
Said the 16-year-old: 'Training will probably be tougher, but it's going for lessons at night that I will have to get used to.'
Echoing this view, paddler Darren Loy said: 'It'll be tough to go for lessons after a whole day of intensive training.'
The 13-year-old has the full backing of parents Loy Soo Han and Jing Junhong - both former national paddlers.
Jing, who is also deputy head coach for the national women's table tennis team, said: 'As a parent, I also have my concerns about academics. But it's about quality, not quantity.
'It's even better now as you have a teacher to concentrate on just a few students.'
A SELECT group of student-athletes at the Singapore Sports School (SSP) will be put on a customised training programme aimed at moulding them into being among the world's best.
For these athletes, just donning national colours will not be enough.
'This project hopes to see its student-athletes reach top-100 world ranking standards from 2015,' said SSP principal Deborah Tan yesterday when announcing the School Within A School programme.
'While we continue to be a major pipeline for the Singapore national team... our school has yet to produce players that can achieve significant breakthroughs in the open category on the international stage.'
For now, SSP's tie-up is with the Singapore Badminton Association, Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) and the Singapore Golf Association.
Eighteen students from these three National Sports Associations are on the programme.
'We're going with a modest start for now,' said Tan. 'If the programme holds up very well, there's no reason not to include more talented student-athletes into it.'
She added that the SSP is also looking at introducing other sports to the programme.
Funding for the programme will come from the $35 million EW Barker Endowment awarded to the SSP last year.
Training for this elite group will last longer than usual and will take place in the day, with schoolwork at night.
They will also get a team of coaches, sparring partners and teachers. There will just be three to five students in a class. The usual class size in the SSP is about 25.
These athletes' academic and sporting performances will be key to their continued stay in the programme.
For shuttler Fiona Seah, the biggest adjustment will not be the training but the night classes.
Said the 16-year-old: 'Training will probably be tougher, but it's going for lessons at night that I will have to get used to.'
Echoing this view, paddler Darren Loy said: 'It'll be tough to go for lessons after a whole day of intensive training.'
The 13-year-old has the full backing of parents Loy Soo Han and Jing Junhong - both former national paddlers.
Jing, who is also deputy head coach for the national women's table tennis team, said: 'As a parent, I also have my concerns about academics. But it's about quality, not quantity.
'It's even better now as you have a teacher to concentrate on just a few students.'
26 June 2011
Singapore as a swimming training base
Top swimmers to train in S'pore@straits times
A star-studded cast of the world's top swimmers, such as Olympic gold medallists Stephanie Rice and Alain Bernard, are scheduled to arrive in Singapore ahead of next month's World Swimming Championships in Shanghai.
Eighteen countries, including swimming powerhouse Australia, France, South Africa and Canada, will conduct their pre-competition training camps here to adapt to the regional climate and adjust to the time zone.
Spearheading the Australian squad who will be training at the Toa Payoh swimming complex is Rice. The 22-year-old holds the world record for the 400m individual medley and won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
She will be accompanied by breaststroke specialist Leisel Jones, who won the 100m in Beijing. There is also Alicia Coutts, who clocked the fastest 100m fly time in the world this season in 57.25sec. Coutts will likely compete against local swim queen Tao Li in Shanghai.
The Australians, who will arrive in the middle of next month, have the largest squad with about 45 athletes.
Another notable mention is Frenchman Bernard, 28, who was once the world's fastest man over the 50m and 100m freestyle.
Using Singapore as a training base is nothing new. Many countries had picked the Republic as a training and acclimatisation base ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, among them Canada, Japan and the United States.
An official who was involved in organising the Beijing training stint said: 'The United States' swimming camp in 2008 was very successful. I think that opened the way for more countries to come here.'
A star-studded cast of the world's top swimmers, such as Olympic gold medallists Stephanie Rice and Alain Bernard, are scheduled to arrive in Singapore ahead of next month's World Swimming Championships in Shanghai.
Eighteen countries, including swimming powerhouse Australia, France, South Africa and Canada, will conduct their pre-competition training camps here to adapt to the regional climate and adjust to the time zone.
Spearheading the Australian squad who will be training at the Toa Payoh swimming complex is Rice. The 22-year-old holds the world record for the 400m individual medley and won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
She will be accompanied by breaststroke specialist Leisel Jones, who won the 100m in Beijing. There is also Alicia Coutts, who clocked the fastest 100m fly time in the world this season in 57.25sec. Coutts will likely compete against local swim queen Tao Li in Shanghai.
The Australians, who will arrive in the middle of next month, have the largest squad with about 45 athletes.
Another notable mention is Frenchman Bernard, 28, who was once the world's fastest man over the 50m and 100m freestyle.
Using Singapore as a training base is nothing new. Many countries had picked the Republic as a training and acclimatisation base ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, among them Canada, Japan and the United States.
An official who was involved in organising the Beijing training stint said: 'The United States' swimming camp in 2008 was very successful. I think that opened the way for more countries to come here.'
15 June 2011
Sport England project Sportivate: to engage youth to sport
Sport England launches £32 million project to get young people into sport as part of Olympic legacy push@inside the games
June 14 - Sport England has today launched a £32 million ($52 million) National Lottery-funded project to get hundreds of thousands of teenagers and young adults into sport as part of a new programme aiming to fulfil the legacy promise made by London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe to "inspire young people to choose sport".
The new project called Sportivate will give 14-to-25-year-olds who aren't currently playing sport in their own time the chance to receive six to eight weeks of coaching in a sport of their choice.
As part of the Places People Play mass participation legacy programme, Sportivate is aiming to see 300,000 teenagers and young adults completing sports courses over the next four years.
"Lots of young people think sport isn't for them," said Sport England chief executive Jennie Price.
"I would like them to have the chance to discover whether there is a sport they really enjoy, so this programme is all about choice.
"Everyone who takes part will receive high quality coaching - giving them the confidence and skills that will make them want to keep playing in the future."
Sportivate will be delivered by the network of 49 county sports partnerships who will work with local providers and sports clubs to help the youngsters continue taking part long after they have completed their course.
To help inspire and motivate the participants, Sporting Champions - a team of current and retired elite athletes - will visit Sportivate sessions to share their experiences and enthusiasm for sport.
Sport and the Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson said: "This £32 million ($52 million) Lottery programme launched by Sport England will give hundreds of thousands of teenagers and young adults across the country the opportunity to try out and get coached in the sport of their choice.
"I'm sure these same young people will also be inspired when the world's greatest athletes compete here at next summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games and will then want to stay involved in sport for many years to come."
The move was also backed by London 2012 hopeful Zoe Smith (pictured) who became the youngest ever weightlifting Commonwealth medallist when she won bronze at the 2010 Delhi Games at the age of 16.
"Getting the chance to get out and try a new sport is fantastic," she said.
"I didn't take up my sport until I was 12 so it just shows if you're up for some fun and trying something new, you can find a sport you really want to stick with."
As an additional incentive, teenagers and young adults who stick with sport will have the chance to enter a ballot for free London 2012 tickets.
Sport England has hundreds of Olympic and Paralympic tickets available for Sportivate participants via the London 2012 Ticketshare initiative.
In order to be eligible for London 2012 Ticketshare, participants will need to complete the sports course, missing no more than one session, and then continue to participate in sport for at least three months.
Sportivate is an inclusive programme that will create opportunities for disabled and non-disabled participants, while courses on offer include eight-week beginners' judo tuition in Lincoln, mixed tennis sessions for 17-to-24-year-olds in Newcastle upon Tyne and a parkour introductory course at Waveney in Suffolk.
In total, Sport England will invest £8 million ($13 million) of National Lottery funding per year over the next four years into Sportivate.
June 14 - Sport England has today launched a £32 million ($52 million) National Lottery-funded project to get hundreds of thousands of teenagers and young adults into sport as part of a new programme aiming to fulfil the legacy promise made by London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe to "inspire young people to choose sport".
The new project called Sportivate will give 14-to-25-year-olds who aren't currently playing sport in their own time the chance to receive six to eight weeks of coaching in a sport of their choice.
As part of the Places People Play mass participation legacy programme, Sportivate is aiming to see 300,000 teenagers and young adults completing sports courses over the next four years.
"Lots of young people think sport isn't for them," said Sport England chief executive Jennie Price.
"I would like them to have the chance to discover whether there is a sport they really enjoy, so this programme is all about choice.
"Everyone who takes part will receive high quality coaching - giving them the confidence and skills that will make them want to keep playing in the future."
Sportivate will be delivered by the network of 49 county sports partnerships who will work with local providers and sports clubs to help the youngsters continue taking part long after they have completed their course.
To help inspire and motivate the participants, Sporting Champions - a team of current and retired elite athletes - will visit Sportivate sessions to share their experiences and enthusiasm for sport.
Sport and the Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson said: "This £32 million ($52 million) Lottery programme launched by Sport England will give hundreds of thousands of teenagers and young adults across the country the opportunity to try out and get coached in the sport of their choice.
"I'm sure these same young people will also be inspired when the world's greatest athletes compete here at next summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games and will then want to stay involved in sport for many years to come."
The move was also backed by London 2012 hopeful Zoe Smith (pictured) who became the youngest ever weightlifting Commonwealth medallist when she won bronze at the 2010 Delhi Games at the age of 16.
"Getting the chance to get out and try a new sport is fantastic," she said.
"I didn't take up my sport until I was 12 so it just shows if you're up for some fun and trying something new, you can find a sport you really want to stick with."
As an additional incentive, teenagers and young adults who stick with sport will have the chance to enter a ballot for free London 2012 tickets.
Sport England has hundreds of Olympic and Paralympic tickets available for Sportivate participants via the London 2012 Ticketshare initiative.
In order to be eligible for London 2012 Ticketshare, participants will need to complete the sports course, missing no more than one session, and then continue to participate in sport for at least three months.
Sportivate is an inclusive programme that will create opportunities for disabled and non-disabled participants, while courses on offer include eight-week beginners' judo tuition in Lincoln, mixed tennis sessions for 17-to-24-year-olds in Newcastle upon Tyne and a parkour introductory course at Waveney in Suffolk.
In total, Sport England will invest £8 million ($13 million) of National Lottery funding per year over the next four years into Sportivate.
09 June 2011
World Class Performance Conference to be held in November 2011
World Class Performance Conference set to ExCel in London@UK Sport
UK Sport has today announced that the 2011 World Class Performance Conference will be held in the heart of east London, home to the London 2012 Olympic Park, at ExCel London in the Royal Docks.
Taking place in London for the first time, the Conference will run from Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 November, and provide the final opportunity for the entire high performance Olympic and Paralympic community to unite ahead of London 2012. Fittingly, ExCel London will be an Olympic venue when the Games get underway in 416 days time, hosting seven Olympic and six Paralympic events, including Taekwondo, Judo, Boccia, Table Tennis, Fencing, Sitting Volleyball and Boxing.
Since its inception in 2001, the World Class Performance Conference has become the key event in the diaries of coaches, performance directors and sports science and medicine practitioners, as the one opportunity every year for the entire Olympic and Paralympic high performance community to come together to network, debate and share best practice. The aim is to equip these individuals with the skills and knowledge to make sustainable improvements to their sport’s World Class Performance Programme.
Looking ahead to the critical period leading up to the Games, as well as British prospects beyond 2012 at Glasgow and Sochi in 2014 and Rio in 2016, the Conference this year will explore the theme of ‘Aspiration’. Following previous Conference themes of ‘Teamship’ (2009) and ‘Courage’ (2010), this year’s event will focus on the immediate aspirations for success next summer, as well as the aspiration to generate a high performance legacy that goes far beyond the impending milestone of London 2012.
Sam Whale, Coaching Team Co-ordinator, said: “The Conference is a key development opportunity for the people who are driving the performances of British athletes forward on a day to day basis. Following the Beijing Games in 2008, we have designed each of the Conferences that have followed with London 2012 in mind, and this will complete the journey, offering a chance for collaboration, as well as sharing challenges and best practice, heading into the Games next year.”
Peter Keen, Director of Performance, said: “The Conference is now in its 11th consecutive year, having become an important annual event in British high performance sport. This year, more than most, is significant given that come November we will be a little over eight months from the London start line.
“Our theme of aspiration reflects the short term hopes and ambitions we share for 2012, as well as the unique opportunity that hosting the Games presents towards driving long term success in British sport.
“I am very much looking forward to bringing all our Performance Directors, Coaches and key support staff together at Excel London, right at the heart of where our home Games will take place.”
UK Sport has today announced that the 2011 World Class Performance Conference will be held in the heart of east London, home to the London 2012 Olympic Park, at ExCel London in the Royal Docks.
Taking place in London for the first time, the Conference will run from Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 November, and provide the final opportunity for the entire high performance Olympic and Paralympic community to unite ahead of London 2012. Fittingly, ExCel London will be an Olympic venue when the Games get underway in 416 days time, hosting seven Olympic and six Paralympic events, including Taekwondo, Judo, Boccia, Table Tennis, Fencing, Sitting Volleyball and Boxing.
Since its inception in 2001, the World Class Performance Conference has become the key event in the diaries of coaches, performance directors and sports science and medicine practitioners, as the one opportunity every year for the entire Olympic and Paralympic high performance community to come together to network, debate and share best practice. The aim is to equip these individuals with the skills and knowledge to make sustainable improvements to their sport’s World Class Performance Programme.
Looking ahead to the critical period leading up to the Games, as well as British prospects beyond 2012 at Glasgow and Sochi in 2014 and Rio in 2016, the Conference this year will explore the theme of ‘Aspiration’. Following previous Conference themes of ‘Teamship’ (2009) and ‘Courage’ (2010), this year’s event will focus on the immediate aspirations for success next summer, as well as the aspiration to generate a high performance legacy that goes far beyond the impending milestone of London 2012.
Sam Whale, Coaching Team Co-ordinator, said: “The Conference is a key development opportunity for the people who are driving the performances of British athletes forward on a day to day basis. Following the Beijing Games in 2008, we have designed each of the Conferences that have followed with London 2012 in mind, and this will complete the journey, offering a chance for collaboration, as well as sharing challenges and best practice, heading into the Games next year.”
Peter Keen, Director of Performance, said: “The Conference is now in its 11th consecutive year, having become an important annual event in British high performance sport. This year, more than most, is significant given that come November we will be a little over eight months from the London start line.
“Our theme of aspiration reflects the short term hopes and ambitions we share for 2012, as well as the unique opportunity that hosting the Games presents towards driving long term success in British sport.
“I am very much looking forward to bringing all our Performance Directors, Coaches and key support staff together at Excel London, right at the heart of where our home Games will take place.”
06 June 2011
UK Sport’s Research & Innovation on skill acquisition
Funding opportunity for research into 'skill learning and retention' in elite athletes@UK Sport
UK Sport’s Research & Innovation team, along with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) are seeking research applicants who could potentially benefit elite athletes as part of the legacy following the London 2012 Games.
BBSRC, the UK's leading funding agency for academic research and training in the non-clinical life sciences, and UK Sport are keen to explore the understanding of the biological and psychological basis of skill learning and retention, with the ultimate aim of improved maintenance of an individual's skills base and improved training methodologies for elite athletes.
UK Sport’s Head of Research and Innovation, Dr Scott Drawer, said: “Elite athletes need to maintain a wide range of skills, and have the ability to acquire new ones during the course of their career. Understanding how elite athletes are able acquire and retain their skills will inform on the broader population as it faces the prospect of longer working lives and the continued introduction of new technologies within the home, work, and wider environments.”
Applicants are asked to consider one or more of the following challenges in their proposal, which must be submitted to BBSRC by 10 August:
How does cognitive capability interact with the social and physical environment to influence the development of skill and expertise, and are there markers for skill acquisition?
What cognitive and psychological factors facilitate an individual's ability to maintain a high level of performance, and what affects an individual's resilience?
How do we optimise the retention, as well as the learning and retraining of skills by an individual to maximise the performance and flexibility of their skill base?
To promote a multidisciplinary approach, ESRC has agreed to provide co-funding for suitable applications which fall partially within its remit.
UK Sport’s Research & Innovation team, along with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) are seeking research applicants who could potentially benefit elite athletes as part of the legacy following the London 2012 Games.
BBSRC, the UK's leading funding agency for academic research and training in the non-clinical life sciences, and UK Sport are keen to explore the understanding of the biological and psychological basis of skill learning and retention, with the ultimate aim of improved maintenance of an individual's skills base and improved training methodologies for elite athletes.
UK Sport’s Head of Research and Innovation, Dr Scott Drawer, said: “Elite athletes need to maintain a wide range of skills, and have the ability to acquire new ones during the course of their career. Understanding how elite athletes are able acquire and retain their skills will inform on the broader population as it faces the prospect of longer working lives and the continued introduction of new technologies within the home, work, and wider environments.”
Applicants are asked to consider one or more of the following challenges in their proposal, which must be submitted to BBSRC by 10 August:
How does cognitive capability interact with the social and physical environment to influence the development of skill and expertise, and are there markers for skill acquisition?
What cognitive and psychological factors facilitate an individual's ability to maintain a high level of performance, and what affects an individual's resilience?
How do we optimise the retention, as well as the learning and retraining of skills by an individual to maximise the performance and flexibility of their skill base?
To promote a multidisciplinary approach, ESRC has agreed to provide co-funding for suitable applications which fall partially within its remit.
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