Local technology targets athlete development

Namibian athletes could soon have greater access to performance-monitoring technology as Green Enterprise Solutions introduces Kinetic Inspector, a locally developed system designed to help coaches make data-driven decisions about training and athlete development.

Developed in collaboration with Run Whisperers Cricket Academy, the wearable technology records athletes’ movements and heart rates during training sessions and matches, giving coaches data to assess workload, sprint performance, and physical development.

Daniel Albuquerque, a mechanical engineer at Green Enterprise Solutions, said the idea came about when Run Whisperers approached the company looking for a locally available athlete-monitoring solution.

“Namibian sport has no shortage of talent. What it has lacked is consistent access to the kind of performance technology that has become standard in elite sport internationally,” Albuquerque said.

The compact, 3D-printed device is worn inside a fitted vest against the athlete’s back. It operates independently during sessions, recording data without requiring a phone or an active internet connection on the field.

After training, coaches connect the device to the Kinetic Inspector application via Bluetooth to review individual and session-based performance information.

The system measures step count, sprint efforts, total distance covered, sprinting velocity and average heart rate. By comparing these measurements over time, coaches can spot performance trends, monitor workload changes, and tailor training programmes to individual athletes.

Albuquerque said the technology could also help coaches identify sudden increases in training intensity and declining physical output, which may indicate accumulated fatigue.

Although the initial development focused on cricket, the underlying technology could be adapted for other sporting codes, including rugby, football, athletics and netball. However, the company is still in the early stages of implementation and has yet to establish long-term performance outcomes.

Run Whisperers Cricket Academy coach Nyashadzaishe Nyasha said the partnership represented an important step towards modernising cricket development in Namibia.

“Technology is changing the world; it’s changing our sport. It’s changing the face of cricket in most first-world countries; we, as the Run Whisperers Academy, together with Green Solutions, are bringing the future of cricket development to Namibia,” Nyasha said.

The company’s long-term vision is to expand the system beyond the academy and into other sporting codes and levels of competition, from grassroots programmes to national teams. [email protected]

The post Local technology targets athlete development appeared first on New Era.