Over the two days a total of 50 performance staff from Performance leads , head coaches, science and medical support staff and institute service providers working within current sports programmes attended.
The conference was led by the OCI management team for London, Sonia O’Sullivan , Stephen Martin and Martin Burke.
OCI Sport Director Martin Burke explains the acreditation system for London 2012
The agenda and content for the conference was designed to assist preparations for London 2012. A range of topics were covered such as
- Olympic Test events, training camps, 2012 sports schedules, accreditations, performance and team clothing
- Games experiences from an athlete, team leader, coach, and medical viewpoint
- Olympic Team high performance culture
- Press and communication issues and solutions
- Medical and science communication plan
- Working as an inter and multi disciplined teams
Patsy McGonagle (Athletics), Robert Spaine (Show Jumping) and race walker Robert Heffernan’s coach Ivonne Cassin in discussion
However, one of the most beneficial sessions at the Olympic Conference came when Olympic experiences were shared by Chef de Mission and Olympian Sonia O’Sullivan, Chief Medical Officer Dr Sean Gaine, Irish Hockey coach ( and former South African Olympic coach) Gene Muller and OCI Chief Executive and Olympian, Stephen Martin .
Each gave an insight into their Olympic experiences from either an athlete or team official perspective and delegates believed that sessions like this would be extremely beneficial to share with athletes later this year.
OCI Medical Officer Rod McLoughlin , Lindsey Weedon- Modern Pentathlon, and OCI Press Officer Jack McGouran
The next main multi sport get togethers will be in London at the end of November for Team leaders and the OCI HQ team, followed by an athlete and support staff conference in early December 2011.
In the interim the focus for the sports is clearly on qulaification for London , and for many this year an opportunity to capture knowledge and gain experience at LOCOG test events.
Paul Hession’s coach Stuart Hogg with Sonia O’Sullivan, and Barry Watkin’s Sprint Canoe Coach Brendan Maloney
(Background) Grainne Murphy’s coach Ronald Claes with Sports Nutritionist Sharon Madigan and
(Foreground) Natalya Coyle’s coach Lindsey Weedon and Finbarr Kirwan Irish Sports Council High Performance Unit following an orienteering team building exercise in Tollymore Forest Park
