Athletics Ireland Announce High Performance Programme for 2007

Athletics Ireland announce High Performance Programme for 2007

Athletics Ireland has announced their High Performance Programme for 2007.  A total of 72 athletes have been named on the programme for this year, which will see 37 athletes in the senior programme and 35 athletes in the youth and junior achievers programme. 

The senior programme, which is divided up into Development, International, World Class and European, will cater for athletes such as recent World and European medallists Derval O’Rourke, David Gillick and Fionnuala Britton.  The support provided for these athletes will include financial, sports science & medical, technical coaching, performance management, and competition.

The 35 athletes on the junior and youth achievers programme are the most promising athletes from around the country and it includes 800m star David McCarthy from West Waterford, long jump specialist Kelly Proper and hurdler Chris Quinn.  They will all receive health and physical screenings, sports science interventions, major competition preparation and full involvement in camps and squads.  The elite group will also receive financial support through the Irish Sports Council International Carding Scheme.

The goal of the High Performance Programme is to identify, support and guide emerging talent, to support senior athletes so they can focus exclusively on training and competing at the highest level and to continue to build a world class support structure.

The programme was launched in 2004 when the goal was to assist athletes in their preparation for the Olympic Games in Athens.  In the last three years the programme has grown and it now supports 73 athletes from U-17 to senior level through the delivery of a range of services and supports.

It has also been announced that Dr. Bill Cuddihy has been appointed to the position of AAI High Performance medical doctor following the retirement of Dr. Brendan O’Brien after over 20 years of service to the Association.  Dr O’Brien will remain as the Chair of the Sports Science and Exercise Medicine Committee. Nessa Smyth has also been appointed as High Performance Physio Co-ordinator. The remit of the two new positions is to develop a clear and improved system for treating, monitoring and adding value to athletes.

Speaking on the changes, Liam Hennessy, Chair of the High Performance Committee said, “We are delighted with the new appointments within the medical programme and we would like to thank the Irish Sports Council for their additional support in 2007, which made these possible.  The medical and physio co-ordinators will work closely with the Irish Institute of Sport, the Olympic Council of Ireland and the National Coaching and Training Centre to ensure we deliver a world class service to our athletes”.

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For further information:

Declan Lee – O’Herlihy communications – 01 660 2744

Elaine Fitzgerald – Athletics Ireland – 01 886 9962