The Making of an Olympic Champion Malcolm Brown M l l B and Jack Maitland
Athlete
Environment
Coach
Alistair Brownlee (age 24) Olympic Champion 2012 World Champion 2011 and 2009 World Champion 2011 and 2009 World U23 Champion 2008 World Junior Champion 2006 European Champion 2011 and 2010
Progression Year
Age
Performance (T) f ( )
2005
17
34:12
2006
18
33:27
2007
19
33:04
2008
20
31:30
2009
21
29:04
2010
22
30:00
2011
23
29:50
2012
24
29:07 29:07
Race
29:35
29:15
Percentage Distribution of Training Percentage Distribution of Training
Alistair Brownlee Typical training week Feb 2012 steady/aerobic Monday 80 min steady run 120bpm
Drills S&C Drills S&C
E Easy Swim S i
2 hr easy bike
Tuesday
Hard Swim
40 min 40 min easy run 1 hr easy 1 h bike Track 15 mins hard 170bpm
tempo/hard/interval Wednesday Thursday
Aerobic swim
Strength swim
75 min easy run easy run
60 min easy run easy run
3.5 hr bik bike
2 hr easy bike 20 min 20 min efforts within this
Friday
S&C/physio Saturday
Sunday
Run session 30 mins hard 160bpm
4 hrs easy bike
S&C
3.5 hrs easy bike
1hr 40 easy run easy run
60 min easy run
30 min easy run
Mixed Pace swim
60 min easy bike
Jonny Brownlee (age 22) Olympic Bronze Medal 2012 Olympic Bronze Medal 2012 World Champion 2012 World Sprint Champion 2011 and 2010 p World U23 Champion 2010 World Junior Bronze 2008
Non Stanford (age 22) Non Stanford (age 22) World U23 Champion 2012
Tom Bishop (age 21) Tom Bishop (age 21) World U23 Bronze Medals 2012 and 2011 World Junior Silver Medal 2010
David McNamee (age 23) David McNamee (age 23) World U23 Silver Medal 2011
Training Environment Training Environment • Built over years Built over years • Low tech – Low cost • Coach/Physiotherapist • Conditioning specialist • Additional Support Personnel – Physiotherapist Nutritionist Doctor
Training Environment Training Environment • Group is vital • Enjoyment is important • Learn from older athletes • Leeds – cold, wet, hilly, essential facilities • No culture of entitlement
Training Environment Training Environment • Grass is not greener elsewhere G i t l h • Individualised progression f from Junior to U‐23 to Senior J i U 23 S i • Establish sound biomechanics and skills • Increase training loads between ages 18‐21 18 21 to world class threshold to world class threshold
Coaches Jack Maitland Malcolm Brown
• Experienced coaches and former athletes • Shared fundamental principles and values Shared fundamental principles and values • Little ego Littl • Empower athletes by encouraging decision making and autonomy
Coaches Jack Maitland Malcolm Brown
• Education has priority • Curiosity • Cross sports experience • Open inclusive philosophy • Settled in Leeds
Olympic Challenges 2011 12 Olympic Challenges 2011‐12 • “Noise” • • • • • •
Experts People Sponsors UK Sport UK Sport British Olympic Association Federation
Olympic Challenges 2011 12 Olympic Challenges 2011‐12 • Distributed athletes and coaches Distributed athletes and coaches • No common training base • No identityy • No common purpose
Olympic Solutions Olympic Solutions • CONFIDENCE • REHEARSE – Course/venue/hotel/routes/rooms/staff
• • • •
ATTEND TO EVERY DETAIL ENJOY EMBRACE CALM
Support Team Support Team • Small as possible ll ibl • Unambiguously world class or potentially g y p y world class • Dispense with Dispense with “passengers” passengers and and “hopefuls” hopefuls • 24/7 commitment for 18 months • No team building exercises b l • Eight “rehearsals” or races g • One “dress” rehearsal