Golden opportunity: from Olympic medallist to PhD researcher

Golden opportunity: from Olympic medallist to PhD researcher

Olympic gold medallist Lauren Burns has turned her hand to research, uncovering the key to elite athletic performance with the support of a generous industry donor.

Earning an Olympic Gold Medal in Taekwondo at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Lauren Burns is no stranger to the world of elite sports.

A qualified naturopath and nutritionist, she’s now looking into the science behind athletic success, undertaking a PhD through RMIT’s School of Health and Biomedical Sciences.

Early findings show that championship performance often coincides with a combination of strong psychological health, personal support, effective performance strategies and lifestyle regulation.

Burns said the research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, would inform further work on understanding the particular conditions enabling success.

“Through this research, we highlighted that psychological factors and support networks are likely keys to success,” Burns said.

“The next step is looking at a much larger sample of athletes through a national survey to compare these practices between foundational and mastery level athletes.” 

Olympic gold medallist Lauren Burns is uncovering the key to elite athletic performance. Olympic gold medallist Lauren Burns is uncovering the key to elite athletic performance.

Burns received a research training scholarship from not for profit fund, the Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies (JFNT), who were interested in understanding the impact of interpersonal relationships on performance.

“Having my own sporting experience gave me insight, but I knew formal research would have greater reach, highlighting the lifestyle factors and mindset needed to reach the next level, in sport and in life,” she said.

As well as supporting Burns, the JFNT partnered with RMIT to offer two other research scholarships for students in complementary medicines.

“There are such benefits to broadening research in our area, supporting our profession and growing knowledge. We are so thrilled to support researchers like Lauren,” said JFNT Board Director Pauline McCabe.

Read the RMIT Impact Report to see how donations make a difference to our students, researchers and community.

Story: Alicia Olive and Grace Taylor

25 June 2019

Share

25 June 2019

Share

  • Research
  • Sport
  • Student experience
  • Society
  • Industry
Engage

Related News

Hands_AdobeStock.jpg

Experts say Australia is not equipped to keep at-risk families safe during a crisis: report

Australia must improve its front-line social services responses to reduce the impacts of large-scale disasters on vulnerable groups, according to a report released by Family Safety Victoria.

Drawings of builder Sam doing different tasks

New graphic novel helps housing research reach a broader audience

Master of Communication Design alumnus Zhen Xiong has worked with researchers to visually communicate the findings from a nation-wide research project funded by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).

lgbt-multilingual-resource-1440px.png

LGBTIQA+ goes worldwide as pioneering multilingual language resource launches

Multicultural members and allies of the LGBTIQA+ community will have better support navigating conversations around sexual orientation and gender identity thanks to the creation of an online resource available in seven languages.

Elena Campbell standing behind a lectern speaking to a seated audience with a slideshow playing behind her

Practitioners embrace research on families experiencing adolescent violence at home

RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) continues to publish much needed research into adolescent violence in the home, with its most recent report released in April 2023 exploring the need for a whole-of-family, wrap-around service response to this complex issue.

Show more
aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

More information