Malaysian to invest in sports science for London Olympics

Malaysia turn to science for golden breakthtough@Strait Times

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S sports officials have opted for the appliance of science in their quest to achieve the country's first Olympic gold medal in London next year.

The National Sports Institute (NSI) has brought in 46 sports science specialists under their 'Road to London 2012' programme, Malaysian media reported.

The seven sports to receive the high-tech support are badminton, soccer, cycling, archery, diving, shooting and hockey.

NSI director-general Ramlan Aziz said that the scientists would be responsible for tailoring their expertise for the individual needs of Malaysia's elite athletes.

Malaysian officials will invest in the specialised programme to improve conditioning, psychology, bio-mechanics, match analysis, dietician and technical support.

'It depends on the quota set by organisers for the London Olympics,' he told Malaysia's Bernama news agency, referring to the number of specialists who will travel to the 2012 Games.

AUS Green and Gold Project

Brits on notice as athletes get $2.5m to snare medals@The Australian

A $2.5 MILLION war chest has been assembled to help Australian athletes take medals from their British arch-rivals at next year's London Olympics.

Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib has redirected the money from the Australian Sports Commission to launch the Green and Gold Project, which will provide extra funding to shore up Australia's position as one of the top five Olympic nations.

Australia dropped out of the top five, to sixth, for the first time in a decade at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when it was replaced by Britain, which came fourth.

Australian Olympic Committee secretary-general Craig Phillips said the most effective way for Australia to climb back up the medal table was to take medals from its direct rivals, Britain and fifth placegetter Germany.

"Every medal we take from them is worth two, because we gain one and they lose one," Mr Phillips said. "We did something similar for the Sydney Olympics, where we were competing with France and Italy."

Australia and Britain will be eyeing the same medals in swimming, track cycling, sailing, rowing and equestrian events.

Individual athletes who have British arch-rivals include Olympic champion diver Matthew Mitcham (world champion Tom Daley), world champion gymnast Lauren Mitchell (Beth Tweddle), international sailor of the year Tom Slingsby (Paul Goodison) and track cyclist Anna Meares (Victoria Pendleton).

Mr Arbib is backing the AOC's bid to return to the top five in London and said the Green and Gold Project would mark a "new push towards London 2012".

"I am an unapologetic supporter of elite sport," Mr Arbib said at the Australian Paralympic Committee president's lunch in Sydney. He has joined AOC president John Coates's cry to "rain on their parade" in London.

The federal government provided $120m of new funding to elite sport last May, but Mr Arbib said the latest boost would provide strategic investment in key Olympic sports "where we think it will make the most difference". He has brought together the ASC, Australian Institute of Sport and AOC to oversee the project.

The 10 sports which will benefit from the funding are: swimming, cycling, rowing, sailing, canoeing, athletics, diving, gymnastics, triathlon and equestrian.

A brains trust of coaches will also attend regular head coach forums, to be chaired by former Australian and British head swimming coach Bill Sweetenham, to share expertise and ideas.

Mr Arbib agreed the funding was "modest" but argued the margin between gold and silver or bronze and fourth was so slim it could be decisive. He is moving responsibility for Australia's high-performance strategy from the ASC bureaucrats to the experts of the Australian Institute of Sport.

He called on the AIS to show national leadership, work more closely with state institutes and reach out to assist leading athletes based outside its Canberra base.

"By empowering the AIS, enhancing its resources and expanding its role we will spearhead our campaign to London," Mr Arbib said.

The AIS has recently reached a $1m deal to extend its research partnership with the CSIRO and will open its European training centre in Varese, Italy, in March.

Singapore Olympic Pathway Programme for Rio 2016

Search for Olympic stars begins@straits times

The search to identify athletes for Singapore's 2016 Olympic quest - for which a bold target of six medals has been set - has begun in earnest.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck recently met up with officials from several major national sports associations (NSAs) to encourage them to send in names of athletes with the potential for glory in Rio de Janeiro.

Once approved, they will be included in the Olympic Pathway Programme (OPP), which provides high-level training and support for Olympic hopefuls.

The sports earmarked for 2016 include swimming, table tennis, fencing, sailing and shooting, and Mr Teo hopes to form a base of about 15 athletes.

Some names that have been touted are sailors Justin Liu and Sherman Cheng, world champions in the non-Olympic 420 class and who will progress to the Olympic 470 class this year, and Youth Olympic Games silver medallist paddler Isabelle Li, and her team-mates Pang Xue Jie and Clarence Chew.

Mr Teo, who oversees the OPP steering committee, said yesterday: 'I must stress that the criteria for 2016 are very different - athletes need not show medal potential now.

'When the OPP started in 2009, we had a short time to prepare for the 2012 Olympics, so we targeted athletes with proven track records.

'But now there's a longer time-frame, and I can understand if the athletes have not proven themselves in a big way yet.'

This marks the first time that there is a concerted effort to prepare Singapore athletes beyond a single Olympic cycle of four years, which is similar to what top sporting countries like Australia have been doing.

Said SingaporeSailing president Benedict Tan: 'The forward planning for the 2016 Olympic cycle synchronises with our plans.

'Our major challenge is the gap between the youth and Olympic levels. OPP's plan to identify talent early will help to bridge that gap.'

For next year's London Olympics, paddlers Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu, Sun Beibei and Yu Mengyu, swimmer Tao Li and shooter Jasmine Ser are under the OPP.

A war-chest of $6.3 million has been set aside for them, which translates to about $1 million for each over the four-year Olympic cycle. This is over and above what the athletes' NSAs get in annual Government grants.

The OPP budget for 2016 has yet to be decided. But with more athletes, there is concern there will be less money to go around.

Allaying these concerns, Mr Teo said: 'Because training is over a longer period than the 2012 Olympics, the total figure might be higher.'

Fencing Singapore, which recently started an Olympic programme for top athletes such as last year's Asian Championships bronze-medal winning women's foil team, is keen to follow up on Mr Teo's call.

Said its president Nicholas Fang: 'We'll target for more world-class events with Olympic ranking points.

'When the time is right, we will apply to be in the OPP.'

Dentsu to support Singapore athletes

Catching the sports momentum@today

SINGAPORE - From the Fifa World Cup to the Olympics, Asian Games and the IAAF World Championships, the Sports Division of Dentsu Incorporated has its tentacles spread deep and wide in the sports world.

Started as an advertising agency in 1901, the Japanese company has grown to include 100 offices in 26 countries, and its sports arm was responsible for creating the Toyota Cup, which was renamed the Fifa Club World Cup in 2004.

Now with its sights on Asia, and in particular the South-east Asian market, Dentsu, whose Singapore office opened a month ago, are looking to involve themselves in the expanding regional sports business, estimated to be worth some US$20 billion ($25.7 billion).

The subsidiary, Dentsu Sports Asia (DSA), also hopes to help Singaporean athletes develop their post-competitive careers by providing internship and employment, giving them the chance to leverage on the sports expertise of Dentsu Inc.

"We've already got two current national athletes who are interning with us and we're looking to give them an opportunity to see and experience how the commercial side of sport works," said Suresh Letchmanan, the DSA's head of legal and business management.

While he declined to reveal details of DSA's plans for young local athletes that will be launched in the next few weeks, he added: "Being athletes, they've got strong leverage if they would like to continue working in sports and learning from the international expertise that exists in Dentsu. It gives these athletes a chance to see how they can continue their careers after their competitive days are over."

With a capital of $1.5 million, the sports marketing company is aiming to be a one-stop shop for sports, providing services ranging from the marketing of broadcast rights to television production, sponsorship sales, event management and even player management.

Dentsu already have on their books French football legend Zinedine Zidane, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and former Japanese internationals Hidetoshi Nakata and Shunsuke Nakamura, with their DSA office already looking to sign Indonesian players following the recently AFF Suzuki Cup.

MediaCorp understands that DSA are looking to work with regional football associations, with plans already in the pipeline for a partnership with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to develop the business end of their Strategic Plan announced last April.

"We would like to provide the very best in sports marketing and management to the rest of Asia and help develop the sports business within the region," said DSA's chief operating officer, Kunihito Morimura.

Added Suresh: "There is a lot of potential for growth in this region and with the Sports Hub to be up and running by 2015, Singapore is a great location for sports and we aim to offer a one-stop solution for the sports business community in Asia, while not forgetting local sports."

WADA 2011 Prohibited List

WADA 2011 Prohibited List Now Published@WADA

Noteworthy changes compared to the 2010 List include:

Non-Approved Substances
A new section – “Non-Approved Substances” – has been added. This “open” section addresses the abuse of pharmacological substances for the purpose of performance enhancement which are not included in other sections of the List and which are not approved by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use (i.e. drugs under pre-clinical or clinical development or discontinued).

Platelet-Derived Preparations
Platelet-derived preparations (commonly referred as PRP or blood spinning), prohibited in 2010 when administered by intra-muscular route, have been removed from the List for 2011 after consideration of the lack of current evidence concerning the use of these methods for purposes of performance enhancement. Current studies on platelet-derived preparations do not demonstrate a potential for performance enhancement beyond a potential therapeutic effect.

Declaration of Use
The obligation for athletes to file a Declaration of Use for specific substances that are not prohibited has been removed. This change has been reflected accordingly in the 2011 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions.

To consult the 2011 List, the 2011 Monitoring Program, a summary of major modifications, explanatory notes on the 2011 List, and a Q&A on major changes, click here.

To consult the 2011 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions, click here.

London 2012 Cultural Olympiad events

London 2012 Cultural Olympiad events unveiled@sport business

Nobel Prize-winning American author Toni Morrison, former Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Oscar-winning Australian actress Cate Blanchett are among the big names involved in the 12-week event.

"Artistic talent from the U.K. and every continent will be part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration," said LOCOG chairman Sebastien Coe.

Highlights will include:
• A travelling Shakespeare Festival produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company
• An exhibition celebrating the Bard at the British Museum
• The Desdemona Project, in which acclaimed US writer Toni Morrison collaborates with Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré on a theatre piece in response to the 2009 Peter Sellars' production of Othello
• A new installation by Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson
• A performance of the Philip Glass and Robert Wilson work Einstein on the Beach.

The Festival runs from June 21 to September 9, 2012. It will include over 1,000 events designed to attract three million people. Organisers said some of the events will be ticketed and others free.

Rafter as a biomechanical model to help young tennis players

Pat Rafter puts his body on the line to help the AIS Pro Tour tennis program@ASC

Most people view retirement as a time to put your feet up and reflect on a career gone by, but that’s not the life for two-time US Open winner Pat Rafter.

The former world number one, and new Australian Davis Cup Captain, recently gave some of his time, and his body, to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Pro Tour tennis program when he spent several days with some of the best young players in the country.

Rafter and another former star, Wally Masur, the head of the National High Performance Academy in NSW, worked out at the AIS with players, coaches and performance research staff in Canberra.

AIS tennis head coach Brent Larkham said having the likes of Rafter and Masur provide their expertise to the Institute players is vital component of the program which aims to ensure the young athletes get to learn from the best.

“When someone like Pat steps onto the court with our players you can see it creates a real buzz. If a player can pick up just one new thing to add to their game from this experience then it’s a real positive.”

Not content with just offering advice or sparing in practice matches, Rafter also handed himself over to the AIS biomechanists who closely analysed his service action to allow comparison with the Institute players.

The grand slam champion had over 50 reflective markers attached to his body to allow AIS and Tennis Australia biomechanists to develop a complete profile of his technique and service action using state-of-the art motion capture technology.

“Pat was a great sport to take part in this analysis which gives us a visual and computer generated model of a really good service action. We can now use this information as a reference point to breakdown the various aspects of serving with our athletes and make the minor improvements which all add up to producing better players.” Larkham said.

“We really appreciate the time Pat and Wally took to work with the AIS players and hope they were able to get a better appreciation for what we are trying to do with the program.

“I’m sure the players would agree that the pair and other former Australian greats are always welcome to take a look at the program and provide input where possible.”

Through the AIS Pro Tour Program, athletes are given expert coaching, physical and medical support as they travel around the world on the tour, and also have access to world-class facilities and expertise not only at the AIS base in Canberra but also at Tennis Australia’s base in Barcelona and a network of other sites around the world.

SSC "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!"

SSC Launches First-ever Fundamental Movement Skills Resource Guide To Boost The Development Of Physical Literacy@SSC

Children in Singapore will now receive a holistic education right from preschool with the launch of "FUN Start, MOVE Smart! The FUNdamental MOVEment Skills for Growing Active Learners" developed by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC).

2 "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!" is a resource guide that provides teaching principles, ideas and practices to help educators in their movement education classes. Specifically, the guide provides educators basic information on fundamental movement skills, recommended activities, safety tips, and ideas on integrating the skills with other domains of development. There are also several instructional tools such as cue cards and observational checklists included for educators to use.

3 Fundamental movement skills are critical in the holistic development of children aged two to ten and are the building blocks for all learning domains such as language, literacy, numeracy and social awareness.

4 Said Dr Bervyn Lee, Senior Director, Sports Pathways Development Division, SSC, "We recognise that fundamental movement skills are not age-determined but ability-driven. While the initial phase of the roll-out is focused on preschools, the teaching of fundamental movement skills is essential in our primary schools too."

5 The guide is written by Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, an Associate Professor in Physical Education and Sports Science at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and the Nanyang Technogical University (NTU). She added, "People often assume that fundamental movement skills will develop naturally as the child grows. However, these skills have to be taught just like reading or writing. Fundamental movement skills are also crucial perquisites for the child to master more complex and specialised sports skills, for a healthy, active lifestyle later in adulthood."

6 The SSC will distribute about 1,400 complimentary copies of "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!" to all preschools in Singapore by early 2011. About 30 early childhood educators from up to 10 schools will also be participating in a pilot programme that will run from January to March 2011, where the guide will be put into practice and the results of its use will be monitored.

7 In addition, a series of training workshops targeting an initial 300 early childhood educators will also be conducted, commencing first quarter of next year. Lessons learnt and feedback received during the pilot programme will be used to frame the structure these workshops. The workshops will give educators a deeper understanding of the importance of helping children acquire fundamental movement skills, as well as guide teachers on how to best utilise the resource guide. In the first year, the Singapore Sports Council plans to reach out to more than 700 teachers, benefitting about 15,000 preschoolers.

8 Added Dr Bervyn Lee, "The SSC's aim is to give every young child in Singapore every opportunity to be competent physically. In doing so, we will be assisting the development of physical literacy, which is the foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle, sports performance, and better-rounded individuals."

9 Acknowledging the importance of the teaching of fundamental movement skills in preschools, the long term benefits and strong positive results achieved in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, the SSC plans to further scale the programme by providing parents and sports coaches with a similar guide in the near future.

10 The "FUN Start, MOVE Smart! The FUNdamental MOVEment Skills for Growing Active Learners Resource Guide" is developed as part of the Let's Play movement, an initiative by the SSC to encourage all Singaporeans to embrace sports as a lifestyle choice, be it through playing, watching, cheering or volunteering for sports.

Singapore Asian Games 2010 outcome

CDM Low Teo Ping Congratulates Contingent For A Respectable Showing Despite High Level Of Competition In Guangzhou@SSC

With 17 medals in the bag as the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 comes to a close, Chef-de-Mission Low Teo Ping today congratulated Team Singapore for a respectable showing at the quadrennial event, despite the extremely high standards showed by the competing nations, especially host nation China, which amassed a total of 383 medals, 185 of them gold [1].

2 Team Singapore returned from the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 having clinched four gold, seven silver and six bronze medals.

3 "The level of competition was very high at this installment of the Asian Games and I am proud that our athletes managed to hold their own against athletes from powerhouses like China, Japan, Korea and Iran," said CDM Low. "Although we would be happier had we achieved our medal projections, I know our athletes have put in their very best effort, and they deserve our congratulations and support. I know each athlete will return to Singapore with enriching experiences and having learnt many lessons. I am certain they will use these experiences as an inspiration for greater perseverance, pride and performances at future games."

4 CDM Low also added that the Asian Games is an important step for many of our athletes, especially the 199 athletes who made their debuts in Guangzhou. "These athletes still have a long way to go and they now know what it will take to compete and win at this level," added CDM Low. "I am sure that the National Sports Associations and coaches will be conducting their respective post mortems as soon as they return to Singapore, as they look forward to the next major competition," he said.

Making Waves in the Land of the Dragon

5 Team Singapore's first medal at the Asian Games, a silver, came in the wings of 20-year-old Butterfly specialist Tao Li. Her sterling performance in the Women's 100m Butterfly event on Day One of competition put Singapore on the medal standings on the first day of competition. Tao Li's magnificent swim in the Women's 50m Butterfly event won Singapore its first gold medal and solidified her position as Asia's number one in the category.

6 As a team, the swimmers put up an astonishing performance with two new national records broken by Tao Li and Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Rainer Ng Kai Wee, in the Women's 50m Butterfly and the Men's 50m Backstroke events respectively. They also clocked an impressive total of 14 new personal records. "We have had a very successful outing here in Guangzhou. This is a team of young swimmers, we can expect a lot more from them in time to come," said the Head Coach of the swimming team, and an Asian Games gold medallist himself, Mr Ang Peng Siong.

7 Team Singapore's sailors also added to Team Singapore's medal tally by grabbing eight medals in various boat classes including gold in both the Men's and Women's Double Handed Dinghy 420 classes.

8 The youngest member of Team Singapore's contingent, 13-year-old sailor Ryan Lo Jun Han showed that age is not a factor when it comes to winning medals. His performance in the Men's Dinghy Optimist category won him a bronze medal - a terrific start for the long sailing career ahead of him.

9 Team Singapore's bowlers also did well to contribute five medals to the total tally despite an uncertain start. Debutants Shayna Ng Lin Zhi and New Hui Fen started the bowlers' medal haul for Singapore with the silver and bronze medals in the Women's Singles event, followed by a gold medal in the Women's Trios event soon after. The last medal from bowling came from Cherie Tan Shi Hua whose spectacular showing in the Women's Master's event earned her a silver medal, bringing her individual medal tally to one gold and one silver medal.

10 Expressing his pride for the Team Singapore athletes, CDM Low said, "We may not have met our medal projections but we still managed to put up a credible performance in Guangzhou. I am very proud of all our athletes. They have done what I told them to do before we touched down in Guangzhou, and that is to display the principles of sportsmanship and uphold the values of Team Singapore."

Reaching Out to Fans on New Media

11 Throughout the Games, Team Singapore's Facebook fan page was a great source of information for fans and Singaporeans alike, who could receive minute-by-minute updates of key events during the Games, as well as updated results, photographs and quotes from the athletes and officials during competition.

12 The page, which was managed by the Singapore Sports Council's Social Media outreach team, secured more than 1.1 million post views during the 16 days of competition, or an average of about 70,000 daily post views during the competition. The Facebook page was also a good platform for fans to interact and have discussions about their favourite Team Singapore athletes.

Singapore Sports School to groom younger talents aged 10-12

Badminton boost@straits times

THE Singapore Sports School (SSP) has launched a new programme that will help it identify and pick up budding badminton talents aged 10 to 12.

By partnering with sports manufacturer Yonex, the school hopes to improve the calibre of athletes entering its badminton academy, which currently has 37 students.

The Yonex-Singapore Sports School Junior Excellence Programme, launched yesterday, will identify and groom talents aged 10 to 12. The Sports School typically takes in students only at 13, when they are in Secondary 1.

Said eight-time All-England champion Rudy Hartono, who conducted a coaching clinic at SSP yesterday: 'This programme is good because it starts players from a young age.

'When you are above 12 years, that's a bit late. It's the right time to do this at a young age. To find talented players who can reach world standards is not easy, but you have to start.

'Maybe in a few years, Singapore can get players who have the potential to reach world-class standards.'

The Indonesian former world champion, 61, has signed on as an advisory staff member for the programme, which will see Yonex provide over $600,000 in cash and kind to fund coaches and overseas training camps till 2014.

Former national shuttler Ronald Susilo has been engaged as the programme's head coach, and selection trials will be held next month.

The scheme will take in up to 42 shuttlers each year, and about 10 will be drafted into SSP annually.

Said SSP director of sports Irwin Seet: 'Sometimes, we notice students don't have all the requisite skills needed when they enter our school.

'By starting them young, this joint collaboration will help us produce better quality juniors who, when they enter the Sports School, have a better chance to succeed on the international front.'

The SSP's badminton academy received another boost yesterday when the school signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) for its Partners in Badminton Excellence (PEX) Scheme.

This will allow the academy to tap on the SBA's resources - the association will provide coaching clinics, greater competition exposure for players and assist in talent identification.

On its part, SSP will identify up to two talented shuttlers and offer academic scholarships to them.

Said SBA president Lee Yi Shyan, who is also Minister of State (Trade and Industry, and Manpower): 'The MOU reflects our mutual desire to coordinate and synergise our efforts to raise the standard of badminton training and development for youths.

'It outlines how we intend to share our best practices and limited resources to maximise development opportunities for coaches and players.

'By working together, we hope to raise the level of excellence of the sport to the highest level attainable.'

This PEX scheme is the same agreement that SBA signed with six mainstream schools earlier this year. It seeks to expand the association's base of young talents and form a pipeline to the national badminton teams.

It is understood that SSP had signed a collaborative agreement with SBA in November 2007 that was renewed annually. With the agreement due to expire, both parties agreed to collaborate under the PEX Scheme instead.

There are currently 15 SSP alumni in the national team two, which is one tier below the national squad. However, selection for the national team will continue to be based on merit and is not affected by this strategic partnership.

Singapore Asian Games 2010 target

TARGET: 30 TO 33 MEDALS FOR TEAM SINGAPORE AT THE 16TH ASIAD IN GUANGZHOU@SSC

Largest Contingent To Feature At The Asian Games Will Take Part In 22 Of 42 Sports Events
Singapore, 3 November 2010 - Team Singapore is looking to better its performance by bringing home a total of between 30 to 33 medals at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou. This, if achieved, will be Team Singapore's most successful outing at the Asian Games to-date. The contingent's feature at the previous Games in 2006 saw a haul of 27 medals, coming from nine sports.

2 Team Singapore is not only sending its largest contingent (241 athletes and 120 officials) to the Asian Games since the nation's first participation in 1951, she is also increasing the breadth of her participation by competing in 22 of the 42 events featured. This is compared to only 16 sports at the last Asiad in Doha.

3 With the addition of the dragon boat team to the contingent, Team Singapore is also participating in the most number of team sports in the history of its participation at the quadrennial event, showing the depth and growth in the nation's sporting scene over the past four years.

4 Leading the team as Chef-de-Mission is Mr Low Teo Ping, Vice-President of the Singapore National Olympic Committee and the President of the Singapore Rugby Union. Mr Low is also a Vice President of the International Sailing Federation and an advisor of the Singapore Athletic Association and was previously Chef-de-Mission to the Singapore contingent in the 2007 SEA Games in Korat, Thailand.

5 The honour of carrying the Singapore flag this year rests with the celebrated female bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan. At the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 Flag Presentation ceremony held at Dunman High School today, Jasmine received the Singapore flag from CDM Low Teo Ping. The 2006 Asian Games gold medallist sailor Roy Tay then led the Team Singapore contingent in reciting the National Pledge.

6 Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Mr Teo Chee Hean, who is also the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, was the Guest-of-Honour at the Flag Presentation Ceremony. DPM Teo said, "I am proud to note that more team sports have qualified on merit for the Asian Games, and this year we will be sending teams to represent Singapore in five team sports events, namely in Water-Polo, Football, Rugby (Women's), Hockey and Dragon Boat where both the men's and women's teams have made the cut."

Promising Performances

7 Following Team Singapore's stellar performance at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games (where 31 medals were clinched in total), public expectations on the team's showing at the 16th Asiad are high. But the athletes are all fully prepared and raring to take on Asia's best to show that Singapore is a sporting force to be reckoned with.

8 A whopping 83% (199 out of 241) of the contingent are debutants to the Asian Games. The Team Singapore contingent is also relatively young, with 98 members who are 21 years and younger, with the youngest being 13-year-old optimist sailor Ryan Loh Jun Han. The oldest member is 49-year-old Elise Lee Shi May who is the steerswoman of the women's dragon boat team.

9 Shooting will feature 22 Team Singapore athletes in the coming Asian Games. The line-up includes Commonwealth gold medalists Gai Bin, Lim Swee Hon, Poh Lip Meng, Jasmine Ser and Aqilah Sudhir.

10 Sailing, which contributed five out of eight gold medals at the 2006 Asian Games, is looking to make a dash for gold again. 20 sailors are headed for Guangzhou this time, including Olympian Tan Wearn Haw, 2006 Asiad gold medallists Roy Tay and Teo Wee Chin as well as Asian Sailing Championships bronze medallists Siobhan Tam and Dawn Li.

11 Having done Singapore proud at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October this year, gymnasts Lim Heem Wei, Singapore's first-ever silver medalist for gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and bronze medalist David Jonathan Chan, will also be competing in the Asiad. Also in the contingent is Singapore's golden team - the table tennis team that has been participating in various competitions ever since the Commonwealth Games ended to further prepare themselves for the Games in Guangzhou.

12 Swimmer Tao Li made a splash at the previous Asian Games in 2006 when she surprised Singapore, and the world, by clinching the gold medal at the 50m Butterfly event. This time round, she is looking to defend her title, as well as make her presence felt in the other events. Team Singapore's swimming contingent also includes four young swimmers who had represented Singapore at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. They are silver medallist Rainer Ng, Clement Lim, Pang Sheng Jun and Amanda Lim.

13 "We have assembled a sterling cast of athletes for this edition of the Asian Games. I know everyone's ready to do their best and in doing so, I am certain they will bring glory to Singapore and perhaps write a new glorious chapter in our sporting history," said CDM Mr Low who hopes to see all Team Singapore athletes participate with sportsmanship high on their agenda.

14 "To our athletes - do your best to win but do not do it at all costs. It is always important to uphold the values of sportsmanship whenever Team Singapore athletes participate in any events, and when we wear the national flag across our chests."

Following Team Singapore's Action on New Media

15 For the first time in history, fans can now keep up with Team Singapore in action through SingaporeSports.tv, a free to access online portal launched by the Singapore Sports Council that will provide 'live' feeds of the sports events that feature Team Singapore athletes as they take place in Guangzhou.

16 For Singaporeans and members of the public who have missed the 'live' action, they can also log on to the online portal and click on 'Sports on Demand' to view video clips of the highlights during the Games.

17 Apart from providing 'live' feeds during major Games, SingaporeSports.tv will also feature major sporting events such as the upcoming Singapore Cricket Club Rugby 7s taking place from 5 November to 7 November, as well as the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore on 5 December.

18 Members of the public can also follow Team Singapore's recently launched Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TeamSG) which provides fans with minute by minute updates during key events at the Games, quotes, results and photographs of Team Singapore?s athletes in action. For mobile-friendly fans, the Team Singapore iPhone application is available for free, to provide event schedules, news, updates and results on the move. The free SMS alert service that provides updates will still be available through the Team Singapore website at www.teamsingapore.com.sg.

MOU between Singapore Sports School and Shi Chai Hai Sports School

It's all about training smart, says China sports official@Straits Times

IT MAY come as a surprise to some, but China's star hurdler Liu Xiang only trains up to two hours a day.

Contrary to popular belief, long training does not equate to good results, a top Chinese sports official said yesterday.

'High quantity of training isn't the important thing. What's important is applying science to training, and having very focused training,' said Shi Chai Hai Sports School principal Li Guicheng in Mandarin.

The former track athlete and coach, a close friend of Liu's coach Sun Haiping, was speaking at the Sino-Singapore Sports Symposium at Raffles City Convention Centre.

It was held in conjunction with celebrations to mark 20 years of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore.

Addressing representatives from national sports associations and Singapore Sports Council senior management, including deputy chairman Cheah Kim Teck, Liu stressed that most elite Olympic-level athletes at Beijing's Shi Chai Hai Sports School do not train for more than two hours daily. For most junior athletes who are starting out, training is capped at three hours daily.

'It's very tiring on the brain if you train too long,' said the 56-year-old, who is also president of the Beijing Boxing Association and secretary-general of the city's Taekwondo Association.

'We found this out about 10 years ago, when many athletes got injured.'

His school is one of more than 200 government-funded elite sports schools across China. But it is among the best, having produced 33 world champions including Olympic and world champion table tennis star Zhang Yining.

Olympic gymnast He Kexin, Hollywood star and wushu national champion Jet Li, and Singapore paddler Li Jiawei are other notable alumni.

Singapore officials welcomed Li's comments, with SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik calling his own thinking 'outdated' at times.

'We talk about full-time training, but now he's talked about productivity and focused training,' the former Olympic swimmer said.

Speaking directly to officials from several sports bodies, Oon added: 'What you have heard today is the thinking of the powerhouse of sports. Please take it back to homebase.'

Singapore Athletic Association vice-president (training and selection) C. Kunalan said most of his elite athletes are already training two hours a day.

'But something's lacking - the application of sports science that's available.

'We need to change the mindsets of coaches and athletes to include this,' said the former 100m national record-holder and Olympian.

Singapore Sports School director of sports Irwin Seet felt the two-hour principle could not be applied across all sports.

Li also signed a memorandum of understanding with SSP principal Deborah Tan.

There will be student and teacher exchanges between the two institutions with immediate effect.

YOG doping cases

Two YOG athletes disqualified for doping@CNA

SINGAPORE: Two athletes who took part in the Youth Olympics Games in Singapore have been disqualified for doping.

The wrestlers, 17 year-olds Nurbek Hakkulov from Uzbekistan and Johnny Pilay from Ecuador, were found with a prohibited substance in their urine samples.

Laboratory analyses detected the presence of Furosemide - a banned diuretic, used to allegedly mask other drugs in the body.

Hakkulov had won a silver medal is the Men's Greco-Roman 50-kilogramme event and will have his medal, diploma and participation certificate withdrawn.

Pilay was fifth in the Men's Freestyle 63-kilogramme event.

Sports Sci J@Aug-Oct10

This is the latest sports science journal update.

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Aug-Oct 10

Long term athlete development
Development of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire for Sport. JSS

Successful talent development in track and field: considering the role of environment. SJMSS

Fundamental movement skills among Australian preschool children. JSMS

Criterion-related validity of field-based fitness tests in youth: a systematic review. BJSM

Secular trends in aerobic fitness performance in 13–18-year-old adolescents from 1976 to 2001. BJSM

The effects of heavy continuous versus long and short intermittent aerobic exercise protocols on oxygen consumption, heart rate, and lactate responses in adolescents. EJAP

Neuromuscular differences between prepubescents boys and adult men during drop jump. EJAP

Repeated-Sprint Sequences During Youth Soccer Matches. IJSM

Effects of Balance Training on Postural Sway, Leg Extensor Strength, and Jumping Height in Adolescents. RQES

Kinematic analysis of netball goal shooting: A comparison of junior and senior players. JSS

Assessment of individual anaerobic threshold and stroking parameters in swimmers aged 10-11 years. EJSS

Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces during the instep and outstep soccer kicks in pubertal players. JSS

Compliance with a comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in youth football. BJSM

Monitoring stress and recovery: new insights for the prevention of injuries and illnesses in elite youth soccer players. BJSM

Young elite athletes and social support: coping with competitive and organizational stress in “Olympic” competition. SJMSS

Longitudinal Sex Differences during Landing in Knee Abduction in Young Athletes. MSSE

Relationship Between Changes in Upon-Waking Urinary Indices of Hydration Status and Body Mass in Adolescent Singaporean Athletes. IJSNEM

Group- and individual-level coincidence of the ‘Fatmax’ and lactate accumulation in adolescents. EJAP

A lifespan perspective on the career of talented and elite athletes: Perspectives on high-intensity sports. SJMSS

Predictors of the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances by Young Athletes. CJSM

Exercise genes? And no, not Levi's 501s! JAP

Speed and endurance: you can have it all. JAP

The hybrid algorithm (Hbmr) to fight against blood doping in sports. SJMSS

Performance enhancement
Sport Science in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. IJSPP

Game, Set and Match? Substantive Issues and Future Directions in Performance Analysis. SM

Performance analysis research: Meeting the challenge. JSS

New Horizons for the Methodology and Physiology of Training Periodization: Block Periodization: New Horizon or a False Dawn? SM

Intense training: the key to optimal performance before and during the taper. SJMSS

Training for intense exercise performance: high-intensity or high-volume training? SJMSS

Speed endurance training is a powerful stimulus for physiological adaptations and performance improvements of athletes. SJMSS

Fueling strategies to optimize performance: training high or training low? SJMSS

Measuring Training Load in Sports. IJSPP

The effects of training on performance and performance-related states in individual elite athletes: A dynamic approach. JSS

What is Best Practice for Training Intensity and Duration Distribution in Endurance Athletes? IJSPP

Monitoring Acute Effects on Athletic Performance with Mixed Linear Modeling. MSSE

Effectiveness of intermittent training in hypoxia combined with live high/train low. EJAP

Heat acclimation improves exercise performance. JAP

Development of hydration strategies to optimize performance for athletes in high-intensity sports and in sports with repeated intense efforts. SJMSS

Dehydration and rehydration in competative sport. SJMSS

The Role of Physiology in the Development of Golf Performance. SM

Effect of Functional Overreaching on Executive Functions. IJSM

Does plyometric training improve strength performance? A meta-analysis. JSMS

Psychological skills training as a way to enhance an athlete's performance in high-intensity sports. SJMSS

Preventing overtraining in athletes in high-intensity sports and stress/recovery monitoring. SJMSS

Exercise, music, and the brain: Is there a central pattern generator? JSS

Emotional contagion in soccer penalty shootouts: Celebration of individual success is associated with ultimate team success. JSS

Effect of Caffeine Ingestion on Muscular Strength and Endurance: A Meta-Analysis. MSSE

Injury prevention and management
Sports injuries and illnesses during the Winter Olympic Games 2010. BJSM

Behaviour, the Key Factor for Sports Injury Prevention. SM

The Effect of Playing Surface on Injury Rate: A Review of the Current Literature. SM

Technology development
Validity and reliability of GPS for measuring distance travelled in field-based team sports. JSS

The Validity and Reliability of GPS Units for Measuring Distance in Team Sport Specific Running Patterns. IJSPP

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PhD position in exercise physiology in Switzerland

There is a PhD position opening in exercise physiology in Lausanne, Switzerland under Prof Gregoire Millet. If you are interested, please let me know so that I can send you more details.

EIS Injury & Illness Prevention Project (IIPP)

keeping ahead of the game@EIS

Whilst you can never rule out all prospects of an injury or illness in sport, the English Institute of Sport (EIS) and UK Sport have been working to identify how best to reduce the risks which could impact upon performance on the international sporting stage.

Before the Injury & Illness Prevention Project (IIPP) began, approximately 13% of sports used injury information to shape their preventative strategies. Now, 18 months into the project, 43% of Olympic sports reported using injury data to help keep their squads performing.

With less than two years to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games, keeping athletes competing at the highest level is vital for any sport.

“Suffering an injury can be devastating for elite athletes and in some cases it leads to the end of their sporting career” says Dr Rod Jaques, Director of Medical Services at the EIS.

“What’s really groundbreaking with this area of work is looking at injury data against exposure data – training and competition. This allows us to get a deeper understanding around the interventions we deploy to athletes and also gives coaches evidence based information” he adds.

With an average of 11 days of training lost per injury and 0.4 of competition events lost per injury and around 5 days of training and 0.3 of competition events lost per illness, being able to prevent athletes picking up injuries and illnesses is an important part of fielding the best team for sports.

“An employer would find this type of time off work an issue, and likewise sports need to address time lost in training and competition so that they can field their best teams and ensure they are ahead of the game when it comes to injury and illnesses” explains Jaques.

The Olympiad Review helped to identify the most performance-impacting injuries and illnesses to sports which were knee, shoulder, lumbar spine and upper respiratory tract infections. Of the 14 Olympic sports involved in the IIPP so far, the data collection continues and is providing individualised results, reports and feedback to help provide coaches, practitioners and other support staff with detailed information on the nature and causes of their sport specific injuries and illnesses.

Glenn Hunter, UK Sport’s lead Research and Innovation Consultant for Performance Medicine, said:

“Our job is to ensure British athletes reach the start line among the best prepared and most feared in the world. This particular piece of research allows EIS practitioners to provide evidence based interventions in sport science and medical care, giving British athletes confidence that their preparation is world class. It is the first time this in-depth approach has been taken and will help shape a better understanding of illness and injury in athletes across sports leading into the London 2012 Games.”

Dr Debbie Palmer- Green is the IIPP Research Scientist who has been working at the EIS to liaise closely with the practitioners working within sports to ensure the feedback provided is of best use to the sports.

EIS R&D projects

ESPRIT WORKSHOPS TO PRESENT WORLD CLASS SECONDMENT OPPORTUNITY@EIS

Experts developing cutting-edge technologies for Britain’s top athletes will congregate at Loughborough University on October 8th for the first ESPRIT Conference, where a unique opportunity to get involved with the groundbreaking project will be revealed.

The ESPRIT consortium hope to attract some of Britain’s most innovative minds to its inaugural conference, where details of an exciting secondment opportunity to the ESPRIT project will be presented and the application process will commence.

The Elite Sport Performance Research in Training with Pervasive Sensing (ESPRIT) project is funded by the EPSRC and led by Imperial College London in partnership with UK Sport, supported by Queen Mary University of London and Loughborough University.

It involves researchers from the three universities working alongside British athletes via UK Sport’s Research and Innovation programme.

Its vision is to position the UK at the forefront of pervasive sensing (miniaturised wearable and track-side sensors, computer modelling tools and smart training devices) in elite sports as well as to promote its wider application in public life-long health, wellbeing and healthcare.

To achieve this the team behind ESPRIT possess skills and expertise in body sensor networks, pervasive computing, smart textiles, biochemistry, biomechanics, mechanical engineering, automation, sports performance research and complex system modelling.

English Institute of Sport (EIS) Director of Sport Science Ken van Someren, who sits on the ESPRIT Research Steering Group alongside EIS Head of Sport Science & Medicine for Paralympic Sport Paul Davies, told eis2win.co.uk.

“The ESPRIT project plays a significant role in the development of research programmes that are extremely relevant to the sport science and medical services delivered by the EIS.

“To provide world leading services it is vital to stay at the forefront of innovation and the EIS is therefore pleased to be a part of the ESPRIT project.”

The project comprises four key research themes - Generalised Body Sensor Networks; Optimised Sensor Design and Embodiment; Learning, Data Modelling and Performance Optimisation; and Device and Technology Innovation – all of which will be explored at the upcoming conference via the four interactive challenge workshops that will take place, with a focus on practical application to elite sport:

Paralympic Challenge (biomechanics, ergonomics, mechanical design, integrated sensing, prosthetics)

Sports Medicine Challenge (injury surveillance, remote monitoring, rehabilitation, wireless technologies)

Talent Trainability Challenge (bio-markers, "omics", biochemical sensing, real-time feedback)

Workload and Technologies Challenge (stress, psychology, neuroscience, body sensors, field based sensing, wireless technologies, team sport/tactics, localisation)

Individuals from high performance sport, academia or industry who feel they can contribute creatively to one of these four workshops are encouraged to attend. More information can be found on the ESPRIT website, or contact Jayne.kavanagh@uksport.gov.uk for more information. You must register before 1 October as spaces are limited.

S$387 million. the cost to host first YOG 2010

Singapore spent S$387m to host YOG＠CNA

SINGAPORE: Singapore would still bid for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), even if it knew it would have to spend S$387 million to host it.

Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said this in Parliament on Wednesday, in response to questions about the increased spending for the Games.

He said the government underestimated the requirements and costs for several major functional areas.

But he assured that spending on other ministry programmes was not affected.

Singapore won the bid to host the Games, with an initial budget of some S$104 million.

But this ballooned to S$387 million, when requirements to ensure the Games' success became clearer.

Dr Balakrishnan said: "Our initial budget estimates during the bid phase were clearly inaccurate. We got it wrong. This was the first Youth Olympic Games in the world. Quite frankly, both the IOC and us were starting from scratch. In fact, the finalised specifications and standards for the YOG events were only determined after we were selected to host the Games.

"There was another alternative, I could have blindly cut the budget, and deliver a substandard Games which would not have been the right decision."

Big tickets items contributed to the higher expenditure. One was in the area of technology, with its projected cost being about S$97 million.

Upgrading sports venues and equipment accounted for S$76 million, while providing live broadcast cost S$45.5 million.

Another S$7 million was spent on the journey of the Youth Olympic Flame.

Dr Balakrishnan said: "Initially the IOC was not keen on having an international torch relay because of the controversy that surrounded the Beijing Olympics.

“But this was the first Youth Olympic Games and also because they had the confidence in us being able to organise this without any major mishaps."

Dr Balakrishnan said it was also important to put things into context. The YOG was about one-third the size of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. But Singapore's projected expenses was only 10 per cent of Beijing's reported operating expenditure.

All in, it was money well spent.

"It achieved the objectives which IOC had set out, achieved the objectives which we had set out. And we wanted to do a Games which was doable by a city around the size of Singapore, as we may never have the opportunity to host the Olympic Games," said Deputy PM and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean. He is also the president of the Singapore National Olympic Council.

"I think we have been able to achieve all those objectives. I think all Singaporeans should be proud of it. It was money well spent - I am quite clear about it," he added.

Other expenses went to the culture and education programme, security, and operational requirements like language translation and interpretation, laundry and catering services at the Youth Olympic Village.

On revenue, Dr Balakrishnan said merchandise and ticket sales are expected to bring in S$7 million.

The Games also received up to S$60 million worth of sponsorship in kind and S$7.6 million in cash sponsorship from companies like Samsung, ATOS, Panasonic and DBS.

Singapore's economy also benefited, as about 70 per cent of contracts from the overall budget of S$367 million were awarded to local companies.

Another S$46 million to overseas companies with local subsidiaries.

The Games also laid a strong foundation for a sporting culture. This is particularly in the areas of sports spectatorship, community involvement, as well as volunteer engagement.

In this regard, Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry plans to have a committee to review Singapore's athlete development framework.

The committee will also suggest ways to enhance the education and career options for national athletes.

Details will be announced within the next six months.

Singapore TID in speed skating

12 picked for China camp@Straits Times

IN HIS Winter Olympics dreams, Matthew Mak always saw himself as a figure skater.

The 13-year-old Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student is now a step closer to realising his dream of representing Singapore on ice - but as a speed skater instead.

He was one of 12 skaters who were selected yesterday to attend an eight-day International Skating Union (ISU) speed skating training camp in Changchun, China, from Sept 18-25.

The selection was made at the end of Singapore's first short track speed skating camp, which began on Sunday and ended last night.

The camp was organised by the Singapore Ice Skating Association (Sisa) and the ISU to identify the first batch of athletes with the potential of representing Singapore in the sport.

More than 80 participants - almost thrice the number that Sisa had expected - turned up on Sunday.

From there, 30 were chosen to stay for the remainder of the camp by coach Yves Nadeau, a renowned speed skating coach who has worked with world and Olympic champions.

Although Sisa had planned to select only the top three men and three women, the ISU decided in the end to extend the quota after being won over by the participants' enthusiasm.

Sisa president Sonja Chong said the additional numbers are a boost to its efforts to develop a Winter Olympian for the 2014 Sochi Games.

'It's an indication of the success of the programme, and hopefully we can build on this momentum,' she said.

Matthew and Co. made the final cut after impressing Nadeau with their ability to learn the various techniques quickly.

'I feel very lucky because I might not have made it if only six were selected,' he said. 'My hope is to qualify for the Winter Youth Olympic Games. That would be a good start. But my dream is to compete in the Winter Games.'

The other Changchun-bound athletes are Deanna See, 15, Anja Chong, 16, Vernetta Fong, 15, Yap Rong Xing, 22, Liang Qi'en, 19, Germaine Lim, 15, Lucas Ng, 21, Bertrand Chew, 19, Lim June Liang, 22, and brothers Kenneth, 17, and Terence Chew, 23.

Two participants - Condrey Liu, 24, and Kevin Tan, 34 - were also selected to attend the developmental camp as coaches. They will be joined by athletes from Malaysia and Thailand.

Deanna, who, like Matthew, has a figure skating background, said: 'It's been a whirlwind few weeks. A month ago, I heard about this camp, and now I'm going for it.'

Singapore Sports Council's target in Rio 2016

6 medals in 2016@Straits Times

TWO years after the breakthrough in Beijing, the country's sports authorities are dreaming big - a clutch of medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) has set an ambitious target of bringing back six medals of any colour, a notion Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck called 'bold, but achievable'.

The announcement was met by scepticism among some in the sports fraternity, considering that the women table tennis team's silver at the 2008 Beijing Games was the Republic's first Olympic medal in 48 years.

But Bob Gambardella, the SSC's chief of sports development and head of the sports institute, said it is not a target 'pulled out of the sky'.

'We looked at similar-sized countries like New Zealand and Croatia, and used a predictive table that I had from my time at the United States Olympic Committee,' he said at a press conference that was also attended by Mr Teo yesterday.

Both New Zealand and Croatia have won numerous Olympic medals despite having a population similar to Singapore's five million.

At the 2008 Beijing Games, using athletes' past performances, the American predicted 20 medals in the 11 sports under his charge. The eventual haul was 19.

Gambardella, who came to Singapore a year ago after more than a decade holding various positions within the USOC, is eyeing one to two medals at the next Olympics in 2012 in London.

These will likely come from the women paddlers led by Feng Tianwei. Singapore Table Tennis Association president Lee Bee Wah had previously targeted two medals for 2012, and another two at the following Olympics.

'It's ambitious but funding is the most crucial element, we'll need at least a million dollars more,' she said yesterday. Her association was allocated over $1.5 million in government grants for the financial year 2010.

The Olympic medal burden is also expected to be shouldered by athletes from shooting (such as Jasmine Ser), sailing (Darren Choy) and swimming (Tao Li, Quah Ting Wen and Rainer Ng).

Part of the optimism among sports officials in setting the six-medal target stems from Singapore's two silvers and four bronzes at last month's Youth Olympic Games.

Members of Parliament have also tabled questions for today's sitting on what will be done to groom YOG athletes for further success.

The Straits Times understands that sports administrators have drawn up a preliminary shortlist of 15 of them, earmarking them as having strong potential to win at the highest levels, including the 2016 Olympics.

They include Darren, and YOG silver medallists Isabelle Li (table tennis) and Rainer. All are aged between 14 and 18.

Still, except for the women paddlers who upset China to take the world championship crown in May, the other three sports have not proven themselves at the Olympic level.

But SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik said in response to potential detractors: 'It's high time we stopped saying that we're going to major Games just for the experience.

'If we keep doing that, then the question is when are the athletes ready to win?'

The former swimmer, who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, pointed to Singapore's record medal hauls at recent multi-sport events - the 2005 Manila South-east Asia Games (except as hosts) and 2006 Doha Asian Games.

'Our athletes have shown that they can compete at not just the regional level, but on the global stage,' Oon added.

The new Sports Institute to be set up at the Sports Hub and ready in four years' time will be crucial to the 2016 plan.

It will provide sports science, sports medicine and other forms of support, following loosely models of similar facilities in Australia, the United States and Japan.

'To borrow a phrase from (former sailing president) Low Teo Ping, the pipeline is our lifeline,' said Oon.

On winning a medal in the pool in 2016, former Olympian and swim coach David Lim said: 'It's going to be twice as tough as in the YOG. The field is so much stronger at the Summer Olympics.

'Setting targets is fine, but from now until 2016, the authorities need to do everything in their power to prepare these athletes.'