Background: Did an Undergraduate BSc (Biochemistry and Physiology) at the University of Cape Town. Followed by Honours in Exercise Science from UCT in 2002, and then a PhD which began in 2003, and was completed in 2006.
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Also, in 2006, I did a PostGraduate Diploma in Sports Management from the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Commerce.
Current employment: I currently work in three positions, part-time. One is for the University of Cape Exercise Science Unit, where I lecture, do research and manage science for the Sports Science Institute.
The second is for the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, where I'm working on planning the Discovery Fitness Convention for 2008 and working on projects as they come up.
And the third is for a company called Navitute, which is part of the SAIL group. SAIL is a sports management company, with a number of different interests. But Navitute's role is sports event creation, sponsorship management, rights packaging and commercial structuring of sponsor rights. I'm part of structuring, which means we look at events and 'properties' and then create sponsorship packages, giving the sponsor certain rights in exchange for their sponsorship funding.
On the side, I am the Scientific Editor of Runner's World magazine, and regular contributor, and then I am the FitnessDoc for this (Health24) website. All in all, I'm probably over-committed, but at least I'm not bored!
Why a sports science blog/website?
Three reasons. The first is that sports science is underrepresented in the mass media. I've often picked up newspapers and magazines and read news and feature article and been left thinking that there was a lot more that could have been discussed. I can think of many examples where the article I've read has scratched the surface, nothing more. But there's a second, third, fourth level of insight that is often missing. I'm not saying we can provide all of these levels, but we can add to news with a fairly unique perspective to provide at least some of those insights.
The second is that sports science is misunderstood, and the idea is to apply sports science to every day sports events. It's making science more accessible, more entertaining and hopefully more interesting. I hope that when people read an article or commentary, it gives them an appreciation of the "WHY" and "HOW", and also hopefully stimulates a bit of thought and insight into sport.
And then finally, I have this Sports Management qualification as well, and I would like to try to combine the two (science and management). I hope it makes for a unique and informed opinion on sports physiology and management, and that should encourage debate. We won't be shying away from any controversy, that's for sure, because we want debate and thought, so if we achieve that, then job done!
Sports background: Back in my school days, I tried everything, cricket, soccer, hockey, athletics, cycling, tennis, even basketball. Never rugby though - my school (Suncrest High in Vanderbijlpark) didn't play it...I was OK at some of them (not saying which!) but not great, so I decided my only shot at making a significant contribution to the world of sport would have to be an academic one!
Currently, I still run and cycle, when possible. They're the only ones that stuck. Very occasionally, I try to play some tennis but it's tough to find time in amongst the jobs and the rest of life!
Greatest athlete ever: I'm choosing only from my own generation, because it's all I really know (you can't really know the athlete's impact by reading his performances in a book, I don't think), and then it's a toss up between Haile Gebrselassie, Michael Jordan and maybe, in a few years time, Roger Federer. I presume Paavo Nurmi, Rod Laver, and probably a hundred others (Ali, Palmer etc) had a similar impact.
Best sporting moment: The 2000 Sydney Olympics had some incredible moments. The men's 10000m was spectacular, but the highlight was the Men's 4 x 100m relay (not the one SA won - that was 2004 in Athens), where the Aussies beat the USA. It was incredible. But my best personal moment was watching the 2004 Tour de France, and the Individual Time-trial on Alp d'Huez, along with about a million other people. That was unforgettable.
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