UK Sports recently tasked a team of acclaimed international researchers with taking a deep dive into the development of elite athlete talent in order to support evidence-based decision making. In this webinar, Professor Tim Rees, a member of the research team, will present the results of this multi-year investigation, with particular focus on the psycho-social discriminators between Super-elite and Elite athletes. Super-elite athletes are often repeated medal winners at the Olympic Games, whereas Elite athletes usually qualified for the Games but did not medal. As we look at understanding the achievements of these athletes, what discriminates Super-elite athletes from Elite athletes? What are the experiences that shape athletes to attain the Super-elite level? What do we understand about their personalities, and how do they approach the sporting context in ways that allow them to achieve repeated success? Are there any downsides to this approach? How do these findings inform our approach to talent development?

In the spirit of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris beginning in about one year, the aim of this webinar is to present key research findings of the Great British Gold Medalists project and to utilize a scientist-practitioner approach in discussing how the research can inform applied practice at the youth, collegiate, and Olympic sport levels.

This webinar is sponsored by the AASP International Relations Committee and the AASP Special Interest Group (SIG) for International Olympic Sport Psychology Providers.