THE Isle of Man Athletics Association has launched a series of "Strength and Conditioning" sessions for athletes preparing for next year's Island Games.

24 athletes have registered for the sessions which will take place weekly.

Before starting the programme all athletes underwent fundamental movement screenings with the Strength and Conditioning coaches where they were assessed on their strength and flexibility.

Gianni Epifani, head of the Isle of Man Athletics Association, said: "Strength and Conditioning is without doubt an integral part of an athlete's physical preparation for sport. By providing this opportunity for our athletes we hope to reduce their incidence of injuries and see improvements in athletic performance. This will hopefully see more successes at Island and Commonwealth Games for Manx athletes."  

The sessions take place at the Isle of Man Sports Institute and athletes can be re-tested in future months to assess their rate of progression under the programme. So far the athletes are showing good progress in strength, flexibility, and co-ordination.

Local athletic coaches have been invited to attend the sessions as part of the Isle of Man Athletics Association's Local Coach Development Programme.

Trevor Christian, athletics development officer, said: "The programme is all about bringing coaches together and sharing knowledge and expertise. In doing so we can help coaches continually improve their coaching skills to better serve our athletes giving them the best possible chance to perform to their potential."

If any athletes would like to register for the programme and if any coaches would like to attend the sessions they should contact Gianni Epifani on 01624 688592 or e-mail Gianni.Epifani@gov.im.