Behind the Scenes | Fuelling World Under 20 history with Bryce Anderson

Long before Australia won 14 medals at the 2024 World Under 20 Championships, its goal was to win one – for being the best prepared team at the championships. Working in dietetics and physiology, Bryce Anderson proved worth his weight in gold.

The medal not only doesn’t exist; it never did. But the theme provided the team with a constant focus on preparation over outcome. It is easy to assume at the junior level that talent trumps process, but that would be a bold assumption to make on the world stage.

“We were very fortunate with an incredible group of athletes and that can’t be understated. But the staff group did all the one-percenters and I’m so proud of the effort that went into it. Some of the results were down to just how well we were prepared,” Anderson said.

“Obviously we want them to perform as best as they can at World Under 20’s, but I think even more important is building those skills, habits and experiences to become world-class athletes. It’s about taking those things home into their daily training environments.”

As the team of 67 in Lima, Peru secured 14 medals (2 gold, 7 silver, 5 bronze) and 28 top-8 performances, Anderson reflected on his duties which included recovery processes, meal planning and dealing with factors like travel – all starting one year in advance.

“The Peru culture and nutrition was really quite different to the Western world, so it was about trying to blend those two together to allow our athletes to have nutrition they were familiar with and be able to train and perform well,” Anderson said.

“Another one was that most of the athletes had never travelled to compete. They had never experienced jet lag or training off a long-haul flight.”

Between planning menus and shoveling ice into baths at various locations, Anderson also embraced the team leadership’s decision to book an Airbnb close to the competition venue for athletes racing twice in one day – minimising the risk of uncertain travel times and ensuring optimal recovery.

Cooking meals for athletes and stocking snacks at the house where athletes could nap and use recovery boots, Anderson said that going above and beyond for his passion is just in his nature:

“We always want to do everything at the best of our ability; I want to blow people away. The Airbnb was a perfect example of that.”

Beginning his mission to educate athletes and upskill them as soon as they were selected to the team in April, a training camp on the Gold Coast in June proved pivotal for the team’s planning and progress.

“Seeing some of them at the Gold Coast camp not have any idea about really simple things like pre-race nutrition or recovery techniques; for them to soak up all the information and education and perform the way they did – it’s pretty extraordinary to see,” Anderson said.

“After selection we would track how athletes are going. If they were struggling with results or energy levels, we would know about that every second week and then check in. It allowed us to provide support from as far as six months out.”

The performance support team in Lima was led by Robert Mullard (Performance Support Manager) and alongside Anderson included Chris Lim (Doctor), Tom Lancaster (Physiotherapist), Rochelle Kennedy (Physiotherapist), Jacqui Sandland (Psychologist), Brendan Cole (Soft Tissue Therapist), Marcia Orellana Ibaceta (Soft Tissue Therapist) and Trenton Warbuton (Biomechanist).

The 2024 World Athletics Under 20 Championships were held in Lima, Peru from August 27-31 – with more information on the team’s success available HERE.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted 4/10/2024