Researcher Receives Prize at International Conference

Dr Ian Bezodis a researcher in the Cardiff School of Sport has received one of the prestigious Hans Gros “New Investigator Awards” for his oral presentation and paper entitled 'Step characteristics in sprint running: a case study of training for a world class athlete'.

The competition organised by the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) is open to researchers who are within two years of completing a PhD. 

Ian joins colleagues Dr Cassie Wilson overall winner (2004, Canada) and Drs Marianne Gittoes and Gareth Irwin who were second and third respectively in Salzburg (2006, Austria), These New Investigator successes make UWIC the most successful institution in the Society’s recent history. This year’s awards were presented by Dr Manfred Vieten, President-Elect of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) at the 26^th annual meeting in Seoul

Ian’s study investigated how changes in sprint technique affected running velocity throughout the course of a training year, and how these changes link to the style of training being undertaken at the time. The work was carried out as a case study of a British Olympic athlete and was funded by UK Athletics. The paper presented in Seoul was co-authored by Dr Aki Salo of the University of Bath and Professor David Kerwin of Cardiff School of Sport.

 

Ian has been working in the Cardiff School of Sport for the past two years as a post-doctoral researcher on the EPSRC funded SESAME project, continuing his research on sprinting. The multidisciplinary study, in collaboration with University College London, the University of Cambridge and the Royal Veterinary College investigates the use of wireless sensor-based systems in providing feedback and enhancing the performance of elite sprinters. The overall goals of the project lie in developing new technologies for enhancing performance.

 

In January 2009, Ian will take up a position of Lecturer in Biomechanics in the Cardiff School of Sport.