Sports scientist puts Aussies in the swim
13 November 2006
AUSTRALIA’S success at the 2006 IPC World Swimming Championships in Durban, South Africa, from 2-8 December 2006, could well hinge on the work of University of the Sunshine Coast sports scientist Dr Brendan Burkett.
In a sport where a split-second can mean the difference between first and fourth, Dr Burkett’s role as Sports Science Coordinator for Swimming Australia is set to give our swimmers a winning edge over their rivals.
Dr Burkett, a USC Associate Professor and director of the Centre for Healthy Activities, Sport and Exercise (CHASE), will analyse races and help assess the physiotherapy, medical and psychological needs of team members.
This also will include assessing how well they stand up to the long flight across to South Africa and how well they get on with each other at the event involving 550 athletes with a disability from 50 countries.
"We’ll analyse all of their races and communicate that information to the coaches and athletes,’’ he said. "We will give them a breakdown of what they’ve done in their performances and tell them what little tinkering that they’ll need to do to improve.’’
Dr Burkett, who has represented Australia at four Paralympics and three World Swimming Championships and has held several world records, said his background as an international swimmer gave him greater insight into what information was needed to improve performances.
"I know what sport science knowledge is most important and useful to swimmers and coaches,’’ he said. "You’re not just coming at it from ‘Here’s the pure research’ perspective, but from ‘here’s the real, applied, useful information."
Dr Burkett said USC was the only university in Australia to coordinate sport science for Swimming Australia, having done so at the 2002 World Championships in Argentina, the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the recent European Games in Germany and the Pan American Games.