Working with my team of qualified sports scientists and nutritionists I find myself supporting more and more athletes with sports nutrition for health and performance. Focusing on this area makes me very aware of the wider public and how some of the eating habits of the general population are spiralling out of control. With Christmas fast approaching, food is very…
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Much of the population are hard-wired to see the festive period as a licence to gorge and lose sight of the harm it can do’
Elena film premiere was emotional – but it made me so proud
My schedule this week has involved a very important trip up to Glasgow to attend the premiere of the film telling the story of my late wife, simply called “Elena Baltacha.” As you can imagine, it was a very emotional experience, but not at all in a negative or sad way, it was a celebration of a woman who lived…
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British culture is about carrying a stiff upper lip and this needs to change’ – How sport can help improve mental health at work
During the last year I have been adapting my sports mental skills programme for the business and corporate world. I’ve had a lot of experience working with individuals who operate in the high-pressured environment of the office, including Barclays Bank senior managers. The more I study the area of sporting mental skills, the more I believe that sport can have…
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Dina Asher-Smith is the perfect role model for our young athletes
I could not write my column this week without saluting Dina Asher-Smith, who placed herself in the sporting history books after winning 200 metres gold at the World Athletic Championships in Doha last week. This achievement is significant for many reasons, but the one that really makes a difference to the thousands of young athletes all working hard across Great…
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New project will help young athletes move into business world
During the last week I have been focused on working with a team of professionals, completing the final stages of a project I am very passionate about called SportSkills4Business which will be piloted in Ipswich with a view to expanding nationally. The programme will be offered to both girls and boys, but it is a small group of businesswomen that…
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Lewis Ludlam’s journey from Ipswich schoolboy to Rugby World Cup will inspire so many
We are now in the early stages of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, the first time this prestigious tournament has been held in Asia. Rugby is one of the sports I have never had the opportunity to work in, but I’m pleased to say because of my work at The Hub, Centre of Excellence based at IWIC, I…
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Bianca Andreescu’s inspirational story shows that you can dream big and reach the top
This week saw the end of the US Open, the last of the four greatest tennis tournaments that are held around the world. The first is, of course, the Australian Open in January, the second The French Open in May, the third The Wimbledon Championships starting in July and of course the fourth, the US Open in August. When you…
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How an Ipswich-based team is helping athletes right across the world
Nearly a year ago I had the opportunity of launching The Hub. I approached this project with the belief it could truly develop into an entity and energy that could have a major effect on local athletes, and it’s safe to say that my expectations have not only been realised but surpassed, as we’re expanding nationally with international projects also…
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Social media can make people feel like failures – it’s toxic to mental health
I’ve heard lots about life coaches recently, and I think these professionals can be very positive for so many reasons – but especially when it comes to combating the spreading danger of social media and influencers. Life’s stresses and strains are mentally and emotionally harming more and more of our population, so life coaches will only play a bigger part…
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Kieron Dyer will one day be a Premier League manager – here’s why
This week I had the pleasure of meeting the one and only Kieron Dyer, and what a meeting it was. As a sporting professional, to have time with an ex-athlete like Kieron, is simply a dream. I use the word athlete, as his insight into sport and what makes a great competitor goes way beyond kicking a football, the conversations…
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