high performance kids in tri

kingQuez

I know very little about the high performance stuff, im new to sporting life and an age grouper through and through; nevertheless I noticed the update to the standards at the TI talent identification days...
http://triathlonireland.com/index.php?id=107&nid=104

So 11-13yr olds need to be able to run 3k in under 9mins, and be swimming at a very high standard to even be of interest to TI?

Its been a long time since I was 11, but cant imagine many kids having a real passion for multisport at that age or the sort of work ethic needed to be brilliant. I'm sure there are folk on the forum here that come from athletic childhoods and im really interested in your take on life in the fast lane.. what was the driving force: you, parents, coach?

tunney

kingQuez wrote: »

I know very little about the high performance stuff, im new to sporting life and an age grouper through and through; nevertheless I noticed the update to the standards at the TI talent identification days...
http://triathlonireland.com/index.php?id=107&nid=104

So 11-13yr olds need to be able to run 3k in under 9mins, and be swimming at a very high standard to even be of interest to TI?

Its been a long time since I was 11, but cant imagine many kids having a real passion for multisport at that age or the sort of work ethic needed to be brilliant. I'm sure there are folk on the forum here that come from athletic childhoods and im really interested in your take on life in the fast lane.. what was the driving force: you, parents, coach?

Eh no.

11-13 need 80 points.

02:56 for 200m swim gives you 40 points
05:56 for 1500m run gives you 40 points
Total 80.

Did you read the whole lot?

kingQuez

woops, compound mistake, i read off under the 14-17yr male column ... and took the description from the article "....reaching a very high standard of running in line with 80 points on our high performance table." to be you need 80points from running (given ~160 points are needed in general for the 14yr olds).

mloc123

Swim times :eek:

Huff n Puff

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there are no point totals at all for the 11 - 13 year old category. The article seems to be advising 11 - 13 years olds that they have to strive to reach 160 points by the time they reach the 14 - 16 year old category.

Once in the 14 - 16 category the boys would have to achieve the following times if they want to make the squad:

Swim:00:02:12 (80 points)
Run:00:04:27 (80 points)
= 160 total

It would of course be possible to compensate for a poor swim by having a good run. For example, you could swim a 2:17 (75) if you could run a 4:16 (85). They combine for a total score of 160 so you would probably make the squad on this.

All the kids involved with the development squad would have been involved in swimming clubs for many years. They would probably be putting in 25,000 - 35,000m per week and this involves plenty of dedication and getting up early in the morning. The swim times are actually easy enough to achieve for many of them.

It is the run times that they struggle to achieve. As many of the kids are from swimming backgrounds they do not have a solid running foundation built up. But as with all kids it doesn't take them too long to adapt to running. Most kids are involved in team sports of some sort so running is not alien to them.

As for cycling, most of the top kids will never even have sat on a saddle. There is no requirement for cycling ability which I suppose is more a comment on the international triathlon scene. TI seem to look for swimmers who can run.

The goal of the development squad is to produce elite level triathletes. If those are the times that other countries aspire to, then it should be the same in Ireland. If you set the bar high then people will try harder to achieve it.

Most of the kids do not have a passsion for the sport at that age.The thrill of being involved with a national squad would inspire most to train hard. The love of multi-sport will come afterwards. There are however great strides being made by clubs around the country to attract kids into the sport at very early ages. This can only help to foster a genuine passion for the sport from an early age.

jmdsk

I know they don't concentrate on the cycling part as they reckon a child's legs won't have developed enough to push it in races. But couldn’t the same be said for the times in the running a very fast 1500m for 13- 14 (4.20). That’s quite a fast pace.

Also does anyone know if they actually pick from the 11 – 13 year olds or is just 14 up?

tunney

Cycling is focused on I believe because if you have the engine to do the swim and run you can achieve the bike standard through hard work. Less of a technique element to it than running and swimming.

Huff n Puff

Yep they do accept kids from 11 years up. The times 11-12 years olds have to achieve are swim - 2:50, run - 5:00. Although those times might have changed since 'Jones Raises the Bar'

The goal of the development squad is to produce elite level triathletes. At the elite level the bike is merely transportation from the swim leg over to the run leg. Getting to the level you need for elite triathlon cycling does not take too much talent and as Tunney says it can be achieved through hard work at a later stage. If you have the talent to achieve the swim and run times then more than likely you can get the bike up to scratch quickly.

The swim is so important because if you don't make those lead bike groups then you come nowhere in the race. The run is important for obvious reasons. The bike just isn't all that important due to the drafting bunches at the elite triathlon level. To me this would be a primary reason why cycling ability is not sought for access onto the development squad even for people up to 23 years old.