EYOF Preparation and Training Weekend a Great Success

13 January 2005

The build-up to the European Youth Olympic Festival began last weekend at UL in Limerick with the Olympic Council of Ireland EYOF 3-day Preparation and Training Weekend.  Approximately 50 athletes from a range of sports including 18 from athletics, swimming, cycling and canoeing joined together for a weekend of preparation for the games.

For most of the athletes present the European Youth Olympic Festival will be their first major competition.   This is where they will embark on the journey from underage to senior international competition - EYOF hopefully the first of a long and successful career of major competitions. 

The purpose of the weekend was to introduce a number of different principles in preparation for major competition to the athletes and to help the athletes become familiar with Team Management and their fellow team mates.  The programme of events included a team talk on dealing with the heat in Lignano by Giles Warrington - NCTC; a presentation on injury prevention and awareness by Johnson McEvoy - Athens Olympic Physiotherapist, and a presentation by experienced athlete and twice Olympian Gary Ryan on dealing with the major competition environment and preparing for competition.

The weekend was a fantastic success and the OCI staff especially chef de mission Martin Burke and the AAI Management present, Breda Synott, Carmel Kelly, and Matt Lynch must be thanked for making the weekend such a success.

Elaine Fitzgerald

Performance Director