By Sean Moriarty

Killarney Valley Athletics Club is the first track and field club in Ireland to embrace new technology that will help optimise athlete’s performances.

The club has partnered with Output Sports, a Dublin based firm that has developed software that can predict how good or bad an athlete is performing which in turn allows coaches to adjust training regimes.

While the technology has existed for a long time, previous versions of it were cumbersome and often involved a visit to a sports science clinic to download and evaluate the date.

Killarney Valley Athletic Club coach Tomás Griffin said the new technology is “like having a sports science lab in your pocket”.

“For us coaches the partnership with Output Sports is a game changer, being able to measure progress and athlete response to training. The device allows for adaptability to training plans based on immediate data,” he said.

The partnership with Output Sports has been going on behind the scenes for over two years. It was a central part of Jordan Lee’s Paralympic training process. Initially Lee and his then coach Griffin used the older technology alongside the Output Sports product. The new software worked so well they ditched the older version in the run up to last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

That success prompted Griffin to offer the new system to all club members but particularly sprinters and jumpers.

“The partnership with Output is not only going to help me in my journey to Paris 2024, but also will allow the club to further push our progression and development with all the athletes within the club, giving them in-depth and professional data like no other,” Jordan said.

Meanwhile Jordan has a new coach ahead of his Paris 2024 bid. Roscommon native and Killarney resident Alan Delaney and one of Ireland’s top High Jumpers has taken over from were Griffin left off.