Written by Trackandmemes, on 14 August 2023
Némo Rase is a top-level athlete specialising in the 110-metre hurdles, who has just reached the semi-finals of the U20 European Championships in Jerusalem. But who is behind this performance?
Interview with Cédric Van Elsuwé, belgian coach.
On Instagram, Cédric had this to say:
"Great experience. The whole team was there to support you. After all the work you've put in, after some stressful moments (starting-blocks), a great 11th place in Europe with a super time of 13"53w in Junior 1. I'm off to the world championships next year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvttJFNIZZo/
Némo in the semi-finals of the U20 European Championships, what does that mean to you?
It's a very good result that matches the target we set ourselves. The first year of a junior is a year of transition, with the hurdles changing height. With Nemo, we're putting the technique in place so that we can refine it next year. Some of the competitors already have a year more experience and the aim will be to be ready for the World Juniors in 2024.
How would you describe your relationship with your athlete?
We get on well. We have a relationship based on trust, and we have the same need for precision. I try to put a team around Nemo that allows him to be well surrounded and in which he can feel confident.
For the other athletes, he's a driving force and an example. We're a small training group and we can do quality work.
How would you describe Némo as an athlete?
Determined and already very professional (when you see his ability to concentrate again in the heats after his starting-block problem). He's ambitious and a perfectionist.
What are your future plans for Némo?
The World Junior Championships next year and, in the longer term, the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Cédric, you're now a coach. What was your career path?
I started out as an athlete after watching the Los Angeles Olympics. I ran middle-distance until 1999, when I was unfortunately forced to stop after tearing my hamstring. Being passionate about athletics, I started coaching in 2002.
I've coached all age categories and all disciplines, starting with BPM and specialising in sprint and hurdle training, for which I've taken training courses. For the last 10 years I've also had the opportunity to share my experience with athletes on LBFA courses.
Is there anything in particular you'd like to see to help your athletes go even further in this sport?
Coaching has to be done in addition to your professional life. It is therefore very complicated to find the balance between private life, professional life and life as a top-level coach. Sometimes you have to choose between training courses, international championships and family holidays. If it were possible to create specific days that wouldn't count as statutory holidays and that would be paid, I'd be able to maintain a good balance.
Fortunately, I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful, supportive family.
To avoid isolating the athlete and make life easier for the coach, it would be really beneficial if all the athletes in the group could have access to the same facilities at the same time. This would avoid the need to create different training sessions and leave the athlete alone.
Finally, I'd like to mention the funding of coaches, which, let's face it, in athletics remains complicated, if not non-existent.
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