More than 150 sports and health professionals hear from Bethany Firth OBE and Jack McMillan at nutrition seminar in Belfast
Northern Ireland’s Olympic and Paralympic champions Jack McMillan and Bethany Firth OBE were among the headline speakers at a major sports nutrition seminar held at W5 in Belfast this week.
More than 150 sports and health professionals attended the event, where leading experts presented the latest research and practical insights in performance nutrition.
Dr Oliver Witard of King’s College London opened the seminar with an update on dietary protein recommendations for endurance athletes. He was followed by Lucy Wainwright, Lead Performance Nutritionist for the England Women’s Football Team, who shared “Lessons from the Lionesses” after the squad’s landmark victory at this summer’s European Championship.
Wainwright, herself a former Olympian who reached sprint kayak finals in Athens and Beijing, also reflected on the athlete’s perspective in elite sport.
Event chair Professor Sharon Madigan, Head of Performance Nutrition at the Sport Ireland Institute, later hosted a discussion with gold medallists Firth and McMillan, who spoke about their journeys to the top of Paralympic and Olympic swimming.
Dr Carole Lowis, Nutritionist with the Dairy Council, said the event continues to give local professionals invaluable access to both cutting-edge research and the real-world experiences of elite athletes.
Just over a year after becoming a mother, Firth continues to add to her remarkable career achievements. She returned from September’s World Para-Swimming Championships in Singapore with silver and bronze individual medals and a gold in the mixed relay.
McMillan, meanwhile, made history as one of four Northern Ireland athletes to medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, securing gold with Team GB in the 4x200m freestyle relay – success he repeated at this summer’s World Aquatic Championships. He is now targeting further glory at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“It was a real highlight to host a pair of pool powerhouses in Bethany and Jack and to hear first-hand about their training and nutrition as they continue to excel,” said Dr Lowis. “We are extremely grateful to all our contributors for sharing their expertise with the local sports nutrition community.”