Olympics: Badminton

Factfile

DOB: 30 May 1977
Weight: 83kg
Discipline: Badminton
Home town: Nottingham

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Athletic performance is often equated to extensive physical training and conditioning. However, data shows that visual skills have a significant impact on physical performance too, making an athlete’s eyesight one of the most important pieces of equipment they have. In competitive sport, the difference between a medal and nothing at all can be measured in hundredths of a second or fractions of a centimetre, so there’s no area of training that should be overlooked, especially your vision.

Despite this, recent research shows that a worrying 20% of 15 – 34 year olds have never had a comprehensive eye examination to check the health of their eyes, or to determine if they need vision correction. And during the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, 50% of Olympic athletes had never had their eyes tested. This is why Johnson & Johnson, the Official Vision Care Product Partner for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, has a mission to provide vision training to all athletes to help them “Be the Best They Can Be”.

Johnson & Johnson are working together with Sir Clive Woodward OBE, Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association, Dr Sherylle Calder, Visual Performance Skills consultant and gold medal hopefuls, Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson (Badminton mixed doubles players) and Kelly Sotherton (Heptathlete) who are all undergoing Johnson & Johnson’s AchieveVision™ programme, a specialist vision training for elite athletes, which has helped them prepare for the Olympic Games.