Palaszczuk Government funding gives athletes the edge

The Palaszczuk Government is throwing its support behind new pioneering technologies to give our athletes that extra edge on the football field and in the swimming pool.

Minister for Science Leeanne Enoch said there were three recipients for this year’s Advance Queensland Sport Science Challenge.

Ms Enoch said the Challenge was designed to enhance the competitiveness of Queensland’s elite athletes and teams through the development of innovative new products, technology or processes that benefited sporting performance.

“From this year’s three recipients, two are developing technologies that will go a long way to helping our swimmers,” Ms Enoch said.

“Albion-based Vald Performance has received $100,000 to further develop and test a new portable motion capture system, combining information collected from a camera with sensors on a swimmer’s body that gives coaches live data on the swimmer’s physical performance in the pool.

“The Health Collab from Paddington has received $40,000 for an app they’re developing that will improve the ability of swimmers and coaches to assess, track and address body position issues, leading to improved performance and less injury.

“Sumner Park based Fusion Sport has also received $85,000. In partnership with the Brisbane Strikers Football Club, they are developing an affordable web-based video analysis tool that will help coaches, analysts and athletes worldwide improve performance.

Minister for Innovation Kate Jones said the Advance Queensland Sport Science Challenge funding will enable small businesses to fast-track their innovations.

“The Challenge supports innovations that have commercial potential to become market-ready,” Ms Jones said.

“Once the Challenge project is finalised, sporting organisations, schools, coaches and individuals can get their hands on these exciting innovations to improve their own performance.

“The Challenge is funded under the Palaszczuk Government’s $518 million Advance Queensland initiative to create jobs of the future and build Queensland’s reputation as a global innovation and investment destination.”

Sports and Digital Technology Minister Mick de Brenni said the Advance Queensland Sport Science Challenge reflected Queensland’s passion for sport in all its forms, and the passion Queenslanders have to use science and innovation to solve some of our biggest challenges while create exciting new business opportunities.

Mr de Brenni said the Challenge also aimed to fund projects that would increase participation in sport and exercise.

“Increased participation is not just about improving health outcomes for communities right across Queensland,” Mr de Brenni said.

"It's also about ensuring we remain competitive at elite level well into the future, by growing a strong base of various sport participation to build from."

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