Hartmann clinic goes global with new Kenyan altitude camp
Renowned for his work with many of the world’s leading athletes at the Hartmann-International Sports Injury Clinic in Limerick, Hartmann will reinforce his special relationship with the Kenyan athletes when he opens his new clinic at Iten, in the Rift Valley, on December 1.
While he is famous for treating household names like the double Olympic champion, Kelly Holmes, Paul Radcliffe and Ireland’s Olympic silver medallist and world and European champion, Sonia O’Sullivan, his relationship with the Kenyans goes back more than two decades.
That was about the time he brought Moses Kiptanui, the three time world champion, Olympic silver medallist and the first man to run the 3,000m steeplechase in under eight minutes, back from a career threatening injury.
He has always insisted that a large part of his heart lies in Kenya’s simplistic, organic lifestyle, and it was his long association with the four time world champion, Lorna Kiplagat, that brought about the new venture.
It is a collaboration between Hartmann and the High Altitude Training Centre which is run by Kiplagat and caters for the training needs of the world’s best athletes all year round.
Kiplagat, who benefited from Hartmann’s expertise while competing as an elite athlete, requested that Hartmann the Clinic oversee the physiotherapy department at the college in conjunction with Moy University which is based in Eldoret.
The opening of the clinic next Wednesday coincides with the recent announcement that UK Athletics have named the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten, Kenya, as their primary altitude training centre up to and beyond the London 2012 Olympics.
European 5,000m/10,000m champion, Mo Farah, already spends half his year at altitude in Iten.
The Hartmann Clinic will add to the strong Irish presence in the area which has been generated by the legendary Corkman, Brother Colm O’Connell who has spent 35 years there.
“I now go to Kenya three or four times a year and I drink hot chocolate with Bro. Colm,” Hartmann said. “I have learned so much from him.
“From my point of view this project is not financially beneficial but Lorna (Kiplagat) is a woman of vision and I am proud to be a part of what she is doing.
“Each year she selects 33 girls from deprived backgrounds who have done well at school and a number of professors and lecturers give their time free to prepare them. They then go on to Ivy League colleges in the US.
