Sport & Exercise Research Group Lecture: Psychology and Performance in Sport

By Dr Jane Walsh

Seminar topic: Psychology and Performance in Sport: The Key Characteristics and Strategies used by Elite Athletes. In this seminar Dr. Jane Walsh will look at the evidence from Sports Psychology to provide insight into the key characteristics and mental strategies used by top performers in sport. Jane will draw on recent sporting examples to illustrate how characteristics such as mental toughness and emotional stability are key factors in success and provide examples of how strategies such as goal setting and control of effort have to been used by athletes to break world records. Dr. Walsh will provide an answer the question on everyone’s mind….’Can we learn these strategies for peak performance?’ You will have to turn up to find out these answers and more about the key to success in sport (and life!).

Dr. Jane Walsh is a lecturer in Health Psychology in NUI Galway. Her research is underpinned by the theme ‘Health Behaviour for Healthy Ageing’.  She is the Director of the mHealth Research Group and recently secured grants in excess of €8 million euro in EU funding to conduct research on how novel technologies can be harnessed to deliver personalized evidence-based interventions to promote healthy ageing. Jane is the Co-Leader of the Health and Wellbeing Cluster in the Whitaker Institute, a member of the Irish Cancer Society Research Advisory Board and an Associate Editor of the Journal Psychology and Health. Jane has given several keynotes both nationally and internationally on related topics including: The Physical and Psychological Benefits of Exercise and Mindset and Peak Performance in Sport.  Jane is a keen triathlete  and has won medals in track and field, cross country running, open water swim races and triathlons.