Cardiff Academic Appointed To Prestigious Commonwealth Games Role

Professor Nicola Phillips appointed as Chef de Mission ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Nicola Phillips, School of Healthcare Sciences has been appointed as the next Chef de Mission for Commonwealth Games Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Phillips will be tasked with leading the Welsh team of athletes, coaches, managers and support staff to the 21st Games in Gold Coast 2018. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An exceptional leader and an international specialist in the field of sports injury management, Professor Phillips brings a wealth of experience of supporting athletes at national and international events. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During her highly successful career, she has worked with the Welsh and British Weightlifting teams, professional rugby union, Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games. She is also President of the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Phillips said “For me, this feels a natural step and a culmination of decades of involvement with the Commonwealth Games. I’ve been involved with Commonwealth Games Wales for the past 30 years, and have travelled with the Team to several Games in various different roles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“All of my professional life has been about supporting athletes in some way or other, so to be awarded the top leadership role for Team Wales is absolutely amazing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be part of Team Wales – helping athletes do their best and seeing young athletes grow from the Youth Games to the main Games fills me with great pride.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Before taking up the role, Professor Phillips will be accompanying Richard Parks (Hon 2013) on his latest expedition. She is part of the support team helping him in his attempt to become the first person in history to collect a blood sample and muscle biopsy from the summit of Mount Everest – which he will climb without using supplementary oxygen. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Phillips is a Professor in physiotherapy, Programme Manager for the MSc in Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy and academic lead for the University’s Inspire Performance Physiotherapy clinic. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​