Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT about uS universiTies WeeK BriTish universiTies & colleGes sporT universities Week 2012 runs from 30 april to 7 may and will recognise British universities & colleges sport (BUCS) is the national governing and celebrate the contribution that universities make to the olympic and body for higher education sport in the uK, which aims to enhance paralympic Games, as well as the wider sports industry in the uK. This is the student sporting experience in performance, competition and showcased through universities’ support of Great Britain’s top athletes, participation. delivering 50 sports, including disability sports, the BUCS the development of world-class research, the provision of sporting programme is available to 2.3 million students across the uK with over facilities for students and local communities, university-led cultural 100,000 students regularly competing in the programme. By providing olympiad projects and the army of volunteers from universities around access to and encouraging participation in sport, BUCS is committed to the uK who will make the logistics of the Games possible. universities getting students more physically active. 36% of the student population Week will culminate in the BUCS visa outdoor athletics championships, is physically active in comparison to 21% of the general population (sport which will form a london 2012 test event as part of the london prepares england, active people). series. www.bucs.org.uk further information can be found at www.universitiesweek.co.uk The campaign is being coordinated by universities uK and British universities & colleges sport (BUCS). it is supported by universities across the uK and a wide range of organisations including podium, the national union of students (NUS), research councils uK, GuildHE, the ReseaRch councils uK (RCUK) universities marketing forum, higher education funding council for RCUK is the strategic partnership of the uK’s seven research councils who england and many more. annually invest around £3 billion in research. We support excellent research, as judged by peer review, that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the uK. To maintain the uK’s global research position we offer a diverse range of funding opportunities, foster international collaborations and provide access to the best facilities and infrastructure around the world. We also support the training and career development of researchers and work with them to inspire young people and engage the wider public universiTies uK with research. To maximise the impact of research on economic growth universities uK is the representative organisation for the uK’s universities. and societal wellbeing we work in partnership with other research funders founded in 1918, its mission is to be the definitive voice for all universities including the Technology strategy Board, the uK higher education funding in the uK, providing high quality leadership and support to its members bodies, business, government, and charitable organisations. to promote a successful and diverse higher education sector. With 134 members and offices inl ondon, cardiff and edinburgh, it promotes the The seven uK research councils are: strength and success of uK universities nationally and internationally. · arts & humanities research council (AHRC) · Biotechnology & Biological sciences research council (BBSRC) www.universitiesuk.ac.uk · economic & social research council (ESRC) · engineering & physical sciences research council (EPSRC) · medical research council (MRC) · natural environment research council (NERC) · science & Technology facilities council (sTFC) www.rcuk.ac.uk 2 Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT 3 INTRODUCTION this summer the best athletes in the world come to London to showcase their skill, represent their country and try to win a medal at the London 2012 olympic and paralympic games. the significance of hosting an event on this scale cannot be underestimated and will impact on the lives of all of us, whether you live in London or elsewhere in the uK. the whole country will get behind team gb to encourage and support them in their endeavours to achieve the best performance and make britain proud. as part of an olympic and paralympic themed research is increasingly being used to help are available for the public to use as well as universities Week this new report highlights athletes maintain their health and wellbeing the students and athletes who train there. just some of the many ways in which research so that they can perform to the best of their universities are working with BUCS and various will help Team GB achieve exceptional results. ability. some researchers have even found that national sporting Bodies to help inspire more While most attention will be on the results cherry-based supplements are highly beneficial people to get involved in sport, encourage an achieved in london this summer, it is inspiring “ This new report highlights to marathon runners! research is also ongoing active lifestyle and hopefully produce the next to look at the research taking place in uK just some of the many into how to best test for illegal substances and generation of olympic and paralympic medal universities that will help make london 2012 ways in which research educate people about the dangers associated winners. the best olympic and paralympic Games in with doping. at the Games this summer history. importantly, the impact of this research will help Team GB achieve researchers and students will be working with The final chapter of this report looks back at will be felt by many more people once the exceptional results.” international pharmaceutical companies to run the history of the olympic and paralympic Games are over. a drug control centre to manage the task of Games and the way this has shaped the testing samples from thousands of athletes. modern version that will come to london. it is sometimes easy to forget when you watch This year will be the third time london has an athlete or team compete just how much The design of equipment such as kayaks and hosted the Games and the city is an integral preparation has gone into their performance. bobsleighs has proved to be as important part of its history. When we bid to host the This isn’t simply a training schedule or practice, as the skill of the athlete using them. design 2012 Games, a key element was the legacy sport today makes use of ground breaking works together with technology to give that would be created. The regeneration taking research to aid everything from nutrition, athletes that extra split-second or millimetre place in east london is remarkable, but the health, equipment, physiotherapy, rehabilitation advantage which can mean the difference social regeneration will be felt much further and performance. The first chapter of this between gold and silver. as well as equipment, afield than just in london and will reach across report features examples of cutting-edge researchers are also using design to produce the whole of the uK. researchers are already technology and manufacturing. increasingly, unique footwear and clothing and of course, looking into the potential legacy of the london this knowledge is being applied to sport design was a key factor in developing the 2012 Games and early indications show that a and is already helping our athletes improve olympic park itself. positive impact on the economic growth of the their competiveness. as well as developing uK is already being felt. This report is a unique advanced prosthetic limbs, researchers sports development within our universities is snapshot of how important research is, not are using biomechanical analysis to help encouraging greater participation in sport by only to our success at this summer’s Games, athletes perfect rowing techniques and diving students, school pupils and the wider local but to the long-term prosperity and wellbeing movements. one researcher has had great community. The sports facilities at universities of the uK. success using mathematical modelling to help sprinters who run round bends and has worked with numerous Team GB sprint and relay stars. 4 Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT 5 CONTENTS Section 1 TechnoloGy page 8 Section 2 HEALTh AND WELLBEING page 22 Section 3 DESIGn page 38 Section 4 sporT developmenT and parTicipaTion page 46 Section 5 THE GAMES: pasT, presenT and fuTure page 52 6 Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT Supporting a uK Success Story: The impacT of universiTy research and sporT developmenT 7 engineering new products to aid training is something that has TechnoloGy: occupied professor alison mcconnell at Brunel university for nearly 20 years. in 1994 she launched the first breathing training Engineering succEss product for sports people. The POWERbreathe® is a simple mechanical device that can be likened to a “dumbbell for your diaphragm”. as little as 10 years ago, breathing training was not considered to be an essential part of athlete preparation. today athletes employ numerous technologies asked about whether or not it can give an unfair however, recent advances in our understanding of respiratory to help them train and achieve the best results. advantage. researchers at bournemouth university limitations to exercise performance have completely changed as the quest to go faster, further and longer are investigating the use and perceptions of this view. The research conducted by professor mcconnell and continues, researchers are developing new and prosthetics used in competitive sprinting at events her team at Brunel began by describing the physiological and more complex technologies as well as applying such as the paralympics. the project aims to electronic POWERbreathe® K-Series performance effects of inspiratory muscle Training (IMT) to traditional engineering techniques to sport.