31 October 2012

Some of the greatest minds in sprint coaching will be speaking at the second edition of the European Sprints and Hurdles Conference which takes place at the University of Warwick on Saturday and Sunday 10-11 November.

The conference, hosted by UKA and England Athletics, forms part of the European Athletics Coaching Summit Series and a number of world leading coaches will be speaking at the event.

Amongst those confirmed as speaking are:

• Michael Afilaka – Coach to young sprint sensation Adam Gemili – 2012 World Junior Gold champion who acquitted himself excellently during the London 2012 Olympics. Afilaka is also coach to Jeanette Kwakye, the 2008 World Indoor 60m silver medallist who finished 6th in the Beijing Olympics 100m final.
• James Hillier – Apprentice sprints and hurdles coach working at Bath University under the tutelage of Malcolm Arnold. Hillier is a National Hurdles Coach mentor for England Athletics and oversees promising hurdles Junior James Gladman.
• Loren Seagrave – The renowned USA sprints coach whose Olympic champion athletes include Pauline Davis and Angelo Taylor. Seagrave’s multi-disciplinary approach has earned him worldwide recognition.
• Tom Tellez – Coach to nine-time Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis and former 100m world record holder Leroy Burrell. Tellez coached six out of the seven American sprinters who won Olympic gold between 1984 and 1996.
• Wiggert Thunnissen – Dutch National relay Coach who has enjoyed global accolades for his 4x100m squads, most recently the women’s foursome running a Dutch national record of 42.45secs.
• Pierre-Jean Vazel – Renowned French sprint coach to 2008 World Indoor 60m champion Olusoji Fasuba as well as some of France’s top sprinters such as Ronald Pognon and Christine Arron.

Richard Wheater, UKA’s Event Development Manager said: “We are very proud of the coaching line up and know it will be a superb program for the coaches in attendance.

“Delegates attending will also have the dinner on the Saturday evening included as part of the package to network with hundreds of coaches from across Europe. Not one minute of the weekend will be wasted and we look forward to welcoming coaches from across the continent to Warwick.”

For information, resources and articles to prepare for the event and to book your place online please visit http://conferences.uka.org.uk/index.php