Sports performance conference goes for gold in Durban

THE local organising committee of the 10th International Forum on Elite Sport has announced that delegates from 38 countries have started arriving in Durban in anticipation of this premier sporting conference to be held from Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 August.

The International Forum on Elite Sport is a gathering of global experts on high performance sports. Speakers and delegates are drawn from the highest levels of sport across the world to participate in a leadership and professional development conference for Olympic training centers and high performance sports organisations.

The conference takes place every two years and the theme for this year’s Forum is “Sustainable Performance” with a special focus on African sport development.

“KwaZulu-Natal is an active province with a rich sporting heritage and diverse cultural landscape,” said Ms Bongi Sithole-Moloi, MEC for Sport and Recreation for Kwazulu-Natal.

The conference is being hosted on the African continent for the first time ever and the Moses Mabidha Stadium precinct, home to Prime Human Performance Institute which has organised the conference, will be the central location for the conference, underscoring the City’s commitment to and reputation as a first class host of international sporting events.

Dale Henwood, President of the global Association of Sport Performance Centers (ASPC) has emphasised that the primary focus of the biennial forum is to share learnings and transfer knowledge.

“We are able to leverage each other’s expertise, resources and insights around areas of common concern and seek fresh perspectives on these challenges. There is a constant need to develop new knowledge, a new mind-set, new approaches, or new leadership skills,” he said.

The high-level line up of conference speakers at the Forum includes illustrious names in international sport who are experts in their areas of specialisation.

These include some of the leading sports figures that South Africa has fielded on the world stage such as Ayanda Dlamini (former Banyana Banyana player), Sean Pollock and Gary Kirsten (former cricket internationals) and Roger Barrow (International Rowing Coach of The Year), among others.

International speakers include Francesc Cos (Head of Innovation for FC Barcelona), Dr Akshai Mansingh (Dean of Sports Science at the University of the West Indies and Usain Bolt’s Doctor), Gael Gulheim (Head Of INSEP’s Tech LAB, a facility that produced 80 per cent of France’s medals at the Rio Olympics) as well as John Underwood (US Navy Seals Performance Consultant), among others.

Sessions will include presentations on leadership, resource management, athlete development, innovation and technology, women in sport, anti-doping strategies and more.

Brendon Goodenough, Chairperson of the local organising committee and managing director of Prime Human Performance Institute said: “Prime Human Performance Institute is committed to ensuring sustainable performance and involvement at grassroots level in South Africa after the event. Special workshops run by these global experts at the conference will add unique value for local sports administrators and international equipment donations to the value of R1 million have been secured for district schools and sports academies in areas of need.”

For further details on the conference and other speakers, visit www.elitesport10.com.

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