Peak Performance in Sports Through Digitalisation

Peak performance in sports is now hardly possible without precise measurement and analysis of performance parameters. Digitalisation plays a crucial role in this. With SmarTracks Diagnostics, athletes and coaches have access to innovative software that, together with Polytan SMART Timing Gates, enables comprehensive performance measurement. Clubs or sports facility operators who have opted for this innovative system are offered a SmarTracks Diagnostics Day on their own new SMART club facility by Polytan in collaboration with their partner Humotion. During this training day, our experts explain the use of the system to trainers, athletes, and interested parties.

SmarTracks Diagnostics Day Hosted in Tooting Bec

Over 30 Polytan SMART magnets were installed at the facility in Tooting Bec, a district of London. Thanks to the total of 22 installed timing gates on the circular track and sprint track, the facility offers optimal conditions for precise digital performance recording of the athletes. On Diagnostics Day, all participants are trained in the use of the software and sensors.

The SmarTracks Diagnostics Day in Tooting Bec garnered great interest from those curious. After a general introduction to the Polytan SMART system, participants were presented with the various applications and functions, evaluation options, and result reports of the software. The magnets installed in the ground form what are known as timing gates, which a Polytan SMART sensor or alternatively one's own smartphone with the associated app detects when passing through the gates. Afterwards, it went onto the track, and the participants could test the system themselves and discuss their evaluations with our experts. At the end of the Diagnostic Day, any remaining participant questions were thoroughly answered to ensure they understood the full potential of the system and could exploit it in training in the future. The participants in Tooting Bec were enthusiastic about their new facility and convinced of its performance capability.

Unique Opportunity for Performance Optimisation

The SmarTracks Diagnostics Day is a unique opportunity to learn how to effortlessly integrate performance optimisation into everyday training. Even top-class Polytan brand ambassadors train with Polytan SMART and the Smartracks Diagnostics software! The new facility in Tooting Bec is used by Katie Snowden, for example, a successful middle-distance runner from Great Britain who has proven in numerous national and international competitions that she is one of the most promising athletes of her generation.

Interview with Katie Snowden

ON TOP spoke with Katie Snowden about her past successes, the hard training, and the goals she has set for the coming years.

ON TOP: Congratulations on becoming British champion over 1,500 metres in 2023. How does that feel?

Katie Snowden: Thank you, it feels great. Especially because this British championship was a trial run for the World Championships in Hungary. So most of the British top runners were there, a really strong field, including Laura Muir (ranked 3rd in the world and Olympic silver medallist). Laura tends to make her move 600 metres from the finish, and for the first time in my career, I was able to keep up with her. On the home straight, I passed her; my time was 4:09.86. It's the first time I’ve beaten Laura, and since she is one of the best, it's a nice confidence boost for the World Championships in August.

ON TOP: How did you get into this sport?

Katie Snowden: I was good at school competitions as a child. When I was twelve, my sports teacher suggested I join the local club. So I became a member of the Herne Hill Harriers (and still am). It's a great club based in Tooting Bec. However, the club's track was in poor condition, so the club petitioned the local council to repair it. Now we have a Rekortan track installed by Polytan that is excellent for training.

ON TOP: And you're a full-time athlete now?

Katie Snowden: Yes, since the Tokyo Olympics 2021, I've been focusing solely on running. Before Tokyo, I balanced sport with personal training and working in a café. Athletics is not very financially lucrative, so it was important to do something else. But the switch from the track to the café job, where I was on my feet all day, wasn’t good for recovery. Being able to now concentrate completely on running is beneficial. My times have improved, probably more due to the longer rest periods than increased training. I'm also doing more cross-training now, like swimming and cycling, which promotes recovery and reduces injuries.

ON TOP: You're now training in the USA as well?

Katie Snowden: When I became a full-time professional, I was able to join the Mission Dark Sky Distance, a professional long-distance running team sponsored by Under Armour and based in Flagstaff, Arizona. The team focuses on 1,500 metre to marathon competitions and consists of runners from all over the world. Flagstaff is at an altitude of 2,100 metres, which is a great height for training. I believe training in a group is better for me than training alone all the time. I go there three times a year and spend five to six weeks at a time on the Northern Arizona University track. It's a huge advantage when turning running into a full-time career.

Katie reached the 1,500-metre final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. We wish her all the best for the upcoming competitions.