BOA Home Dominick Cunningham Few people consider where those first steps in sport may take them. Dominick Cunningham has come a long way since his introduction to the world of gymnastics. And that energetic youngster enthralled in the super-human nature of the sport. Growing up some people couldn’t see why he was pursuing the sport that would eventually allow him to travel the world and represent his country. Now, he’s preparing to leave his hometown as a member of Team GB and step into a very unfamiliar environment. New worlds For Dom, the normality of home in Kings Heath will be a long way from Tokyo. Yet, representing Team GB is far from normal. Team GB is a community of athletes, medics, performance analysts and operational staff brought together by The British Olympic Association. And although they all come from the four corners of Great Britain, with their own story and background: they share one common goal, to create an environment that supports Team GB to perform to its best. So whether it’s making sure the athletes are in peak physical condition or have access to the latest medical guidance, each member of Team GB is supported to thrive in this unique environment and focus on the value they bring. Amid the Olympic Games, Tokyo may not look a lot like Birmingham, but with Team GB’s support hopefully, it will feel normal.
Not every athlete is a well-travelled global superstar. And preparing for the Olympics Games can be tough. New environments, different time zones, changing training bases, numerous modes of transport ending thousands of miles away from the normality of home, friends and family all bring their challenges. This is why Team GB aims to use technology to minimise the stresses and random distractions as the delegation arrives on the Olympic stage. And why the development of world-class facilities is so critical to the team’s success. Like Team GB’s Intensive Rehabilitation Unit (IRU) at Bisham Abbey, where free treatment available to any athlete referred by their National Governing Body or Home Country Sports Institute. Or the use of data visualisations to support strategic decisions such as locations, transport and resource across the Tokyo planning programme. Because when you need to deliver the performance of your life, suddenly all the ‘little things’ start to make a massive difference.
Visual Analytics You’ve left your flat near your training base in the UK – flown in to the madness of Tokyo at the time of the Olympic Games. You’re ready to deliver the performance of your life and then you find out your room isn’t booked – or the equipment isn’t at the gym
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Athletes Follow our Olympic hopefuls, super heavyweight boxer Frazer Clarke, artistic swimming duo Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe, golfer Bronte Law and all-round gymnast Dominic Cunningham, as they prepare for the greatest showdown of their careers. Projects The Summer Olympics may come around every four years, but the British Olympic Association has been preparing for Tokyo since before it was announced as the host city. Find out how we make a difference, from what makes an Olympian to what powers Team GB. Not just the tales of gold, silver and bronze but the real, behind-the-scenes stories.