Team GB Turns to Sheffield Hallam Again

2nd January 2014

The English Table Tennis team has turned to sports science experts at Sheffield Hallam University to bring them more medals at next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Members of the team include several medal winning athletes, and they have been receiving sessions of intensive training in Sheffield Hallam's performance labs from strength and conditioning coach Dave Hembrough. Dave, who has recently worked with Sheffield boxer Kell Brook, put team members including four-time national champion and current British men's number two Paul Drinkhall, number three Andrew Baggaley and women's number two Joanna Drinkhall, through a series of tough fitness tests to give the team extra momentum as they prepare to compete for England at the Glasgow 2014 Games. And the team will link up with Dave and other University experts several times over the next six months to benefit from a range of psychology and nutrition support, as well as strength and conditioning training. English Table Tennis Association coach Alan Cooke, himself a former Commonwealth medal winner admitted that the Sheffield Hallam expertise could prove crucial. He said: -We turned to Sheffield Hallam because we know that their expertise could make the difference between gold and silver medal, or just being on the podium. -The package Sheffield Hallam offers is fantastic great equipment and expertise to really give us the edge. Dave added: -It may surprise people but table tennis is a highly intensive and demanding sport, requiring huge dedication, mental stamina and physical agility. The sessions were very successful and over the next six months we'll be providing more support.  We look forward to seeing the results next July.