The Institute Clinical Team brings together experts in sports medicine and physiotherapy to help athletes prevent and recover from injury and illness. Working collaboratively with others across their area of work, they also improve clinical practice and strengthen support for athletes across Welsh sport.
Dr Rhodri Martin - Consultant in Sports and Exercise Medicine
Tell us about your role? I specialise in Sport and Exercise Medicine with a particular interest in tendon, muscle and bone health. I work alongside athletes and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) to assess and manage injuries, support rehabilitation and help athletes return safely to training and competition.
What’s your favourite part of your job? Collaborating within an MDT to support athletes through their recovery from injury or illness, and helping them return to performance and achieve their goals. An MDT is basically a group of people working across different areas of clinical athlete support, to help give them the very best level of care.
What’s something staff might not know about you? When I'm not at work, you can either find me busy DIYing on a house renovation or supporting my children through each of their sporting activities.
Dr Katy Guy - Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Tell us about your role? I am a Consultant in Emergency Medicine with a special interest in sports medicine. I provide medical support to athletes, and work closely with colleagues across the Institute to provide collaborated, evidence-based care that supports athlete health, wellbeing and performance.
What’s your favourite part of your job? Working as part of this team and alongside all of the other fabulous Institute practitioners. I enjoy the MDT aspect of the work we do, and the opportunity we have to provide holistic support to an athlete or sports problem. I really love the enthusiasm everyone has, not only for their job, but the institute to provide world class, evidence based care and expertise.
What’s something staff might not know about you? Alongside the 4 dogs, we also have an axolotl and corn snake as pets.
Jane James (far right) - Senior Physiotherapist
Tell us about your role? I support athletes on their journey through injury prevention to injury management and rehabilitation.
What’s your favourite part of your job? Currently, as part of The Female and Health and performance project, I have been upskilling around supporting coaches through menopause. I have a particular interest in how this effects the musculoskeletal structures.
What’s something staff might not know about you? One of the most unusual places I have worked at is Shepperton Film studio’s in London.
Hannah Llewellyn - Senior Physiotherapist
Tell us about your role? I support World Class Olympic and Paralympic athletes based in Wales as part of an MDT. I have a strong interest in disability sport and work closely with para athletes to optimise health, wellbeing and performance. I am also a member of the Sport Wales Concussion Project Team, supporting the development of concussion management practices.
What’s your favourite part of your job? Having the opportunity to travel the world supporting athletes on the world stage at major events, such as the Paralympics and Commonwealth games.
What’s something staff might not know about you? I play the piano and clarinet.
Jess Parry-Williams - Senior Physiotherapist
Tell us about your role? I work at both pathway and World Class Programme level, supporting athletes wholistic development on their personal and athletic journeys. I enjoy working with the MDT to reduce injury risk, increase availability to train and optimise performance. I have a special interest in optimising bone health in the developing athlete.
What’s your favourite part of your job? Working within a large team collaborating, learning and problem solving to support athlete health, well being and development.
What’s something staff might not know about you? I like to spend my free time in my campervan with my surf board a beach view.
Siân Vaughan-Evans - Senior Physiotherapist
Tell us about your role? I've been fortunate to work at Sport Wales for nearly 12 years, supporting incredible athletes and working alongside a fantastic team. My particular interests are supporting para-athletes to perform at their best, pelvic health and physical literacy. I'm currently undertaking research exploring athletes' experiences, communication and management of urinary incontinence in sport, alongside contributing to wider Institute projects.
What’s your favourite part of your job? I love working with such a great team and supporting athletes, but one of my favourite things about working at Sport Wales is cycling through Bute Park each morning. What a fantastic location to work!
What’s something staff might not know about you? I used to play a lot of football and now enjoy coaching my son's team. I'm also on a mission to improve my Welsh! My husband and three children are fluent speakers, so I'm looking forward to joining colleagues at Nant Gwrtheyrn in November to develop my Welsh language skills.
Dan Grimstead - Institute Delivery & Clinical Lead
Tell us about your role? I lead the Institute's Clinical Team and work across the wider Institute to help make sure we're focusing our time, expertise and resources on the things that will make the biggest difference to athletes and sport in Wales.
What’s your favourite part of your job? Definitely the people. I'm fortunate to work with some incredibly talented and passionate colleagues, and I particularly enjoy bringing people together, challenging how we do things and finding better ways to make a difference. I also enjoy the fact that no two days are ever quite the same!
What’s something staff might not know about you? Having recently moved to Devon, I've discovered that living by the sea doesn't necessarily mean spending more time on the beach. So far, most weekends have involved DIY, garden projects and discovering new ways to spend money on a house.