Eyes on Olympics ’20, Indian coaches reach Birmingham for tips

Everyone is looking forward to sharing our expertise with them and learning from their wealth of experience. Together we hope to make a significant contribution to improving performance across Indian sport. MARTIN TOMS, official, University of Birmingham

LONDON: A group of Indian coaches and administrators has arrived at the University of Birmingham to learn how to combine coaching and sports science techniques in a range of disciplines, including gymnastics, athletics, hockey and swimming.

The 25-member group includes former Olympian Anil Kumar Prakash, who holds the 100-metre national record and is now an athletics coach. The group will participate in a twoweek programme put together by experts from the school of sport, exercise and rehabilitation sciences. Besides coaches, the group put together by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) includes sports scientists specialising in nutrition, sports medicine and physiology. It is led by Rajdeep Kaur Talwar, dean of the faculty of sports sciences at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.

The visit follows discussions between the university’s Martin Toms and India’s sports ministry and SAI on how the varsity could contribute to India’s athletes boosting their performance.

Toms said: “We’re delighted to welcome our sporting guests to Birmingham. Everyone is looking forward to sharing our expertise with them and learning from their wealth of experience. Together we hope to make a significant contribution to improving performance across Indian sport.”

The programme will see Birmingham experts sharing the latest thinking in a range of areas, including nutrition, psychology, performance analysis and injury rehabilitation.

There will also be visits to Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Birmingham City FC and the Football Association headquarters at St George’s Park, Burtonon-Trent.