High performance at high altitude for Paralympic prep
Aussie Paralympians are in the final stages of their preparations before the Paris Games, and AIS physiologist Philo Saunders is ensuring our athletes are in peak condition.
23 August 2024
Aussie Paralympians are in the final stages of their preparations before the Paris Games, and AIS physiologist Philo Saunders is ensuring our athletes are in peak condition.
Philo Saunders celebrates with Jaryd Clifford after he won the Men's 5000m T13 Final race at the 2019 IPC World Para Athletics Championships.
A longtime elite athletics coach, Saunders trains three Aussies who are vying for gold, Michael Roeger in the T46 1500m, Jaryd Clifford a T12 athlete competing in the 1500m and 5000m and triathlete Sam Harding.
While all three had challenges along the way, Saunders is confident.
"The preparation at this stage is very good. I think they're all going to be in the best possible shape to achieve what they want to do.
"Competition's getting harder and harder at the Paralympic level, so nothing's a given. But I would say all three of them would be aiming to potentially win a gold medal."
Saunders is an AIS veteran. Now a senior physiologist, he has been based on the Canberra campus for over two decades honing his expertise in altitude training and heat acclimation to help coach and advise gold-medal athletes like race-walker Jared Tallent, swimmer Alicia Coutts and modern pentathlete Chloe Esposito.
"My specialty field has been altitude training and preparing endurance athletes, particularly in athletics. We've done a lot of research over the years and my coaching role allows me to implement that on the ground," Saunders said.
It's Roeger's fifth Paralympics, third for Clifford and second for Harding. They finalised their preparations with Saunders in St. Mortiz, Switzerland, 1800 metres above sea level.
"It's a pretty pivotal part of our preparation just to maximise aerobic and anaerobic capacities, we get that extra bit of fitness that we wouldn't probably get without altitude,” Saunders said.
AIS senior physiologist and coach Philo Saunders with five-time Paralympian Michael Roeger in Switzerland for altitude training ahead of the Paris Games.
Despite multiple accolades at international championships, Paralympic gold has eluded Roeger. He suffered a stress fracture in Tokyo and has redirected his training for Paris to the 1500m after his class of the marathon was cut from the Games. Saunders believes he is running better than ever.
Harding has recently transitioned from athletics to triathlon and is a real medal chance. He will have Rio Olympian Aaron Royle as his guide.
Clifford, who took home two silvers and bronze in Tokyo, has been working on a clear strategy with Saunders for the 5000m alongside his two guide runners, Tim Logan and Olympian Matthew Clarke.
On arrival in Paris, Saunders will also take on duties as the athletics team coach for distance running, looking after Angus Hincksman, Reece Langdon and Anabelle Colman.
After the isolation of the Covid-safe Tokyo Olympics, Saunders will have his family by his side and is thrilled the athletes will have crowds in the stands cheering them on.
"For me, it's just seeing the satisfaction of people achieving goals. That's what I coach for."
Sam Harding (PTVI) and guide Aaron Royle after securing the bronze medal at the World Triathlon Para Series Swansea in June 2024. Image credit: World Triathlon
