Sports Science punching above its weight

The small Lincoln team has been ranked second for Sport Science for the last two years, ahead of New Zealand universities that boast much bigger rosters. In the same period, it also broke into the top 300 in the world rankings.

The team is led by the Director of the Sport and Exercise Science Laboratory Professor Mike Hamlin, a world expert on altitude/hypoxic training.

His research is used to set altitude training guidelines for elite athletes, including the British and Irish Lions rugby team, and he provides consultation for Olympic athletes such as those in the New Zealand and Netherlands triathlon teams.

Part of the Department of Tourism, Sport and Society, his team are also leading rugby concussion research  to ensure player safety, and even putting players through yoga courses to see if it helps their game.

Sport Science at Lincoln topped the Industry Income points in the rankings nationally, which reflects knowledge transfer through innovations, inventions and consultancy, such as through the Sport and Exercise Science Laboratory in the Whare Hākinakina LU Gym, which tests elite and non-elite athletes alike, helping them all lift their outputs.

The Sports Science team is also closely connected to the university's Sports Scholarship programme, which is growing All Blacks, Black Ferns, Tall Ferns, Black Sticks, martial arts stars, and elite athletes performing around the world.

Image: Professor Mike Hamlin puts a visitor to the lab through testing.