The British Athletics Squad is currently strutting their stuff in Potchefstroom in preparation for the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Qatar later this year.
This talented squad of athletes comprises stars like Eilish McColgan, Kyle Langford and Laura Muir, among others.
Maddy Ibbett, the British Athletics senior coordinator for the endurance programme, spoke to the Herald about the logistical processes involved in getting a squad of athletes for a training camp.

‘My main role is getting athletes and coaches out to Potchefstroom, booking facilities and making sure that everything is perfect at a logistical level. What makes Potch so appealing are the outstanding facilities, great weather, superb setup, good food and a bit of altitude work,’ said Ibbett.

‘On a normal day, I get up at 07:00, have breakfast and then liaise with coaches and athletes to make sure they get to certain places at specific times.

‘I go out to some of the training sessions with the athletes and come back to check my emails before planning for the next day and listen to what the athletes need. If an athlete has an injury, for example, I have to arrange scans and sort out a change in plans,’ she explains.
Ibbett has been part of the British Athletics setup for the past two years and was previously the operations assistant for the England rugby team.

She reckons the most challenging part of her day-to-day work is making sure that every athlete’s plans are correct and that everything is in working order. ‘Every athlete has their own schedule,’ said Ibbett, who first came to Potch last year for the first time.

The British squad will leave Potchefstroom on 5 February but will return later this year before heading east for the World Championships.
‘We are coming back in September before we travel to Qatar for the IAAF World Championships, so we are looking forward to returning later this year,’ she added.