As a three-time Olympic sprinter, Commonwealth Games medalist and holder of countless athletic accolades, it's safe to say Melinda Gainsford-Taylor knows a thing about running.
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But something that struck her when she retired from athletics was that no one teaches kids how to run properly. For the past seven years she has worked to rectify this.
"Nobody teaches them how important it is to learn the right technique for them to be efficient in any sport they wish to pursue," Gainsford-Taylor said.
"I started coaching and running clinics to teach any child who wants to learn how to run properly, which will help them run faster and more efficiently."
Gainsford-Taylor will be running her MELGT Explosive Speed Clinic at Dick Burwell Oval, Nelson Bay from 9.30am to 12.15pm on Saturday, October 10.
She will be hosted by Port Stephens Athletics Club but the clinic is not just for track and field enthusiasts. It is for any child aged 8 to 16 years looking to learn how to improve their running technique and speed.
During the three-hour clinic, each child has their running analysed and the technique is corrected.
The clinic involves technical running drills, techniques in developing strength and stability, tips on injury prevention and nutrition.
"It's very much a teaching clinic," Gainsford-Taylor said. "I'll give them a lot of skills and drills to use in the future plus a lot of suggestions to parents on what they can do. I'm more than happy for them to film the clinic so they can continue to do these exercises and drills."
Gainsford-Taylor's visit to Nelson Bay came about after members of the Port Stephens Athletics Club traveled to one of her Sydney clinics.
Not afraid to travel to the regions to host her clinics, Gainsford-Taylor said she was happy to visit the Bay. The trip was planned for April but had to be postponed due to COVID-19.
The new timing of the clinic could not be better for Port children as it is the 20-year anniversary of the Sydney Olympics, the final Games and one of the last events Gainsford-Taylor competed at before retiring from athletics.
In Sydney, Gainsford-Taylor made the final of the 200m sprint, placing sixth, and assisted the Australian 4x400m relay team to a fifth-place finish and a new national record.
Gainsford-Taylor also competed in the 1992 and 1996 summer Olympic Games plus the 1994 and 1998 Commonwealth Games.
An interesting feature of Gainsford-Taylor's clinic is that she speaks about her athletics journey and shows some of her Olympics memorabilia.
"One of the things I do which is perfect this clinic because it's the 20-year anniversary of the Sydney Olympics is that I show a lot of my Olympics gear. I tell the kids about my experiences and my athletics journey. I was a country kid from Narromine with a dream of being an Olympian."
The cost to register for the clinic is $70 per child. Children receive a water bottle and bag. The clinic is limited to 40 people. Register at: www.melgt.com.au/speed-clinics.
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