The countdown is on to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and while the focus of much of the excitement is centred on the capital city, 500 miles away there is a hive of activity, at the Sports Institute Northern Ireland (SINI) in Jordanstown. Through expert staff SINI delivers services to the province’s top Olympic and Commonwealth sporting hopes from a range of sports including Triathlon, Athletics, Boxing, Swimming and Sailing.
Every athlete coming into the Institute is screened and a specific programme is designed especially for them in partnership with their coaches, each programme delivers a range of services including Strength and Conditioning, Sports Psychology, Nutrition, Performance Analysis and Sports Physiotherapy.
Today at SINI, the busy revolving doors in reception will see several international athletes pass through. Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern, who represent Ireland in the 49er sailing team, will be in the gym first thing for a weights session as they prepare to head to Australia for the winter months to both train and compete as part of their Olympic qualification plan.
Aileen Morrison, a triathlete originally from Derry, will be in the gym working with Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Michael Johnston ahead of competing at the ITU World Series event in London next weekend, an event which is on the same course as next year’s Olympic event.
Dr Shaun Ogle, Executive Director of SINI explains how SINI works;
“Our SINI team pull together the various SINI staff and Sport NI funding bodies and liaise with local coaches, national coaches and organisations such as the Olympic Council of Ireland and British Olympic Association trying to make sure that everything is working for the athlete.”
He adds, “With the diverse range of services available and the wide range of athletes we serve and the individual needs of different sports, you can’t say what works for one will work for another, it’s very individual.”
