The Performance Nutritionist at Sport Wales, Kathryn Brown, works closely with athletes across Wales to develop nutrition strategies to support training and help optimise performance in competitions.
With a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition from Loughborough University, Kathryn went on to complete a Performance Nutritionist internship with the English Institute of Sport and has previously worked with RFUW, GB Synchronised Swimming and GB Adaptive Rowing.
The HQ Performance Nutritionist for Team Wales at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Kathryn was responsible for ensuring that Wales’ medal winners and competitors were optimally prepared for competition, were able to adjust nutrition strategies to manage the hot conditions and help to reduce the risk of illness.
Kathryn says;
“It was essential that athletes made good food choices and implemented good hydration and recovery strategies. I was advising on the use of probiotics and prebiotics and ensuring they were hydrated and had an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals.”
The Performance Nutritionist for Sport Wales since 2008, Kathryn works with a number of sports, including athletics, cycling, swimming, boxing and weightlifting.
Kathryn says;
As the sports I work with have a range of nutritional needs my work is very variable on a day to day basis and can include individual athlete consultations, group education session, providing support at training camps and competitions and workshops such as supermarket tours or cooking sessions.
“Good performance nutrition strategies delivered as part of a complete sports science package can help Welsh athlete achieve medals on the world stage.
Five members of staff from the Sport Wales Institute are being followed by BBC Radio Wales to look at the work going on behind the scenes in the build up to London 2012.
Find out more about Kathryn Brown and the work she does with javelin thrower Lee Doran here; their interview is at roughly 2hr 50 into the programme.
The Team behind the Team – Kathryn Brown
