Practice pays off

Becoming a Paralympian requires skill, dedication, resiliency, and a lot of practice. A recent study found that Paralympic athletes averaged over 6,400 hours of training during their careers.

Mental health at the Games

“We’ve never been so focused on mental health and wellness at the Games.” In the SIRCuit, Stephanie Dixon, the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission, shares insight on the mental health strategies designed to support Canada’s Olympic teams in Tokyo and Beijing, including the debut of a designated Mental Health Lead.

Managing expectations

We often think about the stress that an athlete experiences before a major competition, but what about their coach? Research suggests that many Paralympian coaches set high expectations for themselves which can lead to stress and burnout. Strategies that help coaches manage their expectations and the expectations of athletes and support staff are key to…

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Did you know that Tokyo is the first city to host the Paralympic Games for a second time? Tokyo first hosted the Paralympic Games in 1964, where 378 Paralympic athletes competed for 419 medals. Now, 57 years later, 4,237 athletes will be competing for 1,522 medals. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games kick off today and run…

A Games like no other

The master project plan for an event like the Olympic or Paralympic Games is approximately 20,000 lines long. The postponement of Tokyo 2020 created a unique set of challenges for the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee, who are also preparing for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. In the SIRCuit, get a behind-the-scenes…

Supporting athlete transitions out of sport

Transitioning out of sport after standing on an Olympic or Paralympic podium, or after provincial/territorial competition, can be difficult. Tips to support athlete mental health through this transition include: Detrain your body and mind to adjust to the different but challenging demands of life after sport. Find purpose in the day to day by exploring…

Trickle-down effect

A country’s bid to host a major sporting event is often justified by its potential impact on sports participation for all citizens. While evidence to support the “trickle-down effect” is limited, new research from the United Kingdom shows an increase in memberships among adults in 33 sports after hosting major sport events, including the London…

Major games’ influence on sport participation

Can the Olympic and Paralympic Games influence the sport participation of youth in the host communities? Research suggests that participation impacts may be most likely among youth populations, active and inspired spectators, and within communities that are home to event venues and medalists.

How time of day effects performance

Although Olympic athletes are known for their meticulous pre-competition routines, many aspects of competition are out of their control. For example, research shows that Olympic swimmers have 0.32% improved performance when they race in the evening compared to in the morning—showing that time of day could be enough to make or break a podium performance.

Heat acclimatization

The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are expected to be among the hottest ever recorded. As athletes prepare for the games, researchers have found that heat acclimatization is the best measure to protect health and performance. This can include 60 to 90 minutes of daily training in the heat for one to two weeks before…