Life Stories... With Dr Phil Graham-Smith

Sports science has developed massively over the last 30 years. Phil tells me about what it was like starting out in this area and how he ended up specialising in Biomechanics. He tells me what it was like working with some of Britain's top athletes, such as Jonathan Edwards, Denise Lewis and Ashia Hansen, even though he was still a relative novice. Phil talks about how important it is to conduct research that has a significant impact in the applied setting. This lead to him co creating the ForceDecks system which has gone on to be used widely in elite sports. Phil provided biomechanical support to UK Athletics for over 21 years and was consultant Head of Biomechanics to EIS, leading up to London 2012. Phil also spent time analysing a squad of top Jamaican Olympic sprinters including Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. For the last 8 years, Phil has been working as Head of Biomechanics and Innovation at Apire Academy in Qatar. We finished with Phil talking about how Biomechanics has become embedded in several professions, and highlights the risks this presents to specialist Sport Biomechanists if they don't adapt..... Watch this space!