Etu Sport Development Evaluation

ETU SPORT DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION

DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR YEAR 2013

TO BE RETURNED TO ETU OFFICE BY 15TH OCTOBER 2013

1. General information

National Federations name Israeli Triathlon Association Name and contact details from the Yuval Hets person filling in this questionnaire [email protected] +972-52-3792144 Sport Development committee, chairman

2. National Federation Project

In what domain(s) was your project: athlete development

2 athletes scholarship –

Amitai Yonah & Shachar Sagiv received ETU scholarships for racing on ETU races.

Training camps coaches’ education technical official’ education talent identification events

1 others: please specify:

Support the establishment of 'Spear' - the Israeli National Team training group for Elite transition (ages 18+).

European Triathlon Union Address for Correspondence: T +32 471 244 098 Affiliated to the Registered (ASBL) at: Kroonstraat 72 F +32 117 44 728 International Triathlon Union 13a Avenue Guillaume 3581 Beverlo [email protected] 1651 Luxembourg Belgium www.etu-triathlon.org

Have any of the objectives of your project been changed during the year?

No, but:

1. Due to cancellation of two agreed competitions, Amitai Yonah didn't use his 'slots' to use the scholarship. It was agreed with Kathleen to use it in 2014.

2. Due to cancellation of one agreed competition (Sevilla), Shachar Sagiv used only one 'slot' instead of two.

Did you achieve these (adapted) objectives, and please explain if you did not, why you have been unable to achieve this objective

Project 1:

ETU support in our 2 top athletes has emerged the athletes and their friends to gain more personal and mental resources to prove their abilities. Both of them were accredited to participate in London WC, and also represented ETU in the juniors' 7th and 15th places in the World Championship 2013.

Project 2:

'Spear' training group for National Team members started its activity on April 2013 and proved the predicted concept for athletes in the ages of 18+ that are training together. The group is funded by the athletes and ITA. No public support.

What is the biggest benefit for the development of triathlon in your country?

Our main goal is to bring our first athlete to the Olympic games. The development project has helped us to build a productive foundation for this goal. By helping our national coach, and our top athletes to obtain knowledge and socialize with other national federations' coaches and athletes.

What lessons have you learned in the realisation of your project, which can help other developing National Federations and the ETU Development Committee in improving their programme.

What would you have done differently, now that you know all the facts and figures.

International (European) assistance is essential in order to help nations to develop faster and better. Bridges should be built between stronger and developed nations to developing nations. The support needed is mainly professional, funding always help but a good and strong willing assist much better.

Due to our success in the Junior World championship and the proven concept of our national team training group we would like to host other nations for training camps and competitions, or just invite athletes to train with us and with our coaches. We would like to do the same and hosted by stronger nations.

This 'blender' project may work and be centrally managed by the sport development committee, in many levels.

General evaluation of Israeli 2013 development projects

1. Sixth year for our National academy – five years ago we've established our national triathlon academy for Juniors. 8-10 talented triathletes live, study and train in the Wingate institute, our national sport centre. Despite some economical difficulties we've managed to keep the academy athletes develop, just like the last four years. The methods the athletes being coached are based on knowledge that has been acquired on ETU/ITU development camps.

2. New project for U23 athletes – in April we've established a continuation project for the academy, in Wingate as well, coached by the national coach. Except for Ron Darmon, all our elite athletes, above 18 years old decided to be a part of this project, which are financed by the federation, the Olympic committee and the athletes pay an essential part as well.

3. Our girls' squad enlarged – expanding the number of girls doing the sport and reaching top level is a top priority, and yet, hard task. We managed to have a group of six girls racing on ETU Junior races, with one podium, three girls ranked top 50 at the end of the year. Still not best performance, but much more wideness. In the U23 project three of the eight athletes are girls.

4. European championships: Three Junior athletes have qualified for world champs – showing our well based developing programs, despite a disappointed performance by some athletes in Alanya, we still achieved three slots for world junior's male champs for the first time. An achievement that only the traditionally successful nations have obtained.

5. Two Junior athletes are top 15 in world's – in the grand final in London, our two academy seniors have achieved their biggest success of their new career. Amitai Yonah & Shachar Sagiv, finishing 7th and 15th respectively have proved the ETU made a wise decision in selecting both of them for the new scholarship project.

6. Two U23 athletes have made their first success in Olympic distance – Ron Darmon & Fanny Beisaron have both enjoyed different international development projects in the last few years such as camps and ITU team. Making the big step to success as an elite athlete can be a long hard journey. In 2013 Fanny and Ron directed towards this ambitious purpose with Ron getting a 12th place in U23 European championships and a third place in Hong Kong ITU Asian cup. Fanny recovered from a disappointing two years in 2011 and 2013 by finishing 25th in U23 world championships.

Written by: Uri Zilberman, Triathlon National Coach, Israeli Triathlon Association

Narrated by: Yuval Hets, Israeli Triathlon Sport Development committee, chairman.