Athletes and Coaches Depart for Erasmus Camp in Portugal

12 April 2019

Athletes and Coaches Depart for Erasmus Camp in Portugal

Today 53 athletes, staff and personal coaches departed for Athletics NI's largest ever Warm Weather Training camp. The 14 day camp will take place in the Algarve at the Alfamar Sports Resort in Portugal.

The majority of the athletes will be travelling from Dublin this evening, accompanied by Athletics NI Athlete Development Lead, Tom Reynolds as well as Athletics Coaches, Adam McMullen and Amy Foster.

Athletics NI Coach Development Lead and Project Manager for the Camp, Laura Kerr explains: "Alfamar is a purpose built single site facility and we have been incredibly fortunate to have secured significant funding for the second year from the EU's Erasmus+ Programme for Youth Education and Sport."

The funding secured has allowed us to partner with the Algarve Athletics Association to facilitate 35 athletes, 10 personal coaches and 8 support staff to work together and develop through an enhanced focus on physical and technical preparation, physiological monitoring and performance therapy as they approach the 2019 outdoor track and field season. 

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Laura explains "This year we will have personal coaches travelling from every event group and we look forward to providing bespoke support and development opportunities for them as they continue to support the country’s top young athletes. I am also delighted we have expanded our medical team to include both an Osteopath, William Wood and Physiotherapist, Evan Burke and we will work on athlete education for injury prevention as well as trackside intervention to improve short term performance."

"In 2016, 95% of the junior athletes returning from the Easter Camp in Portugal progressed to achieve a PB with Aaron Sexton, Sommer Lecky and Anna McCauley all being joined by their coaches ahead of what was a very successful Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas. The improved climate for training, expansive facilities and opportunities to work alongside international athletes from all over Europe are a clear benefit of performance camps.”

Also in Portugal this April will be the Athletics NI Director of Coaching and Athlete Development, Jackie Newton, who will lead a Performance Camp for 15 senior athletes including Jason Smyth, Stephen Scullion and Kerry O'Flaherty and James Hamilton.