Athlete365 workshops in Alexandria (EGY) described as ‘eye-opener’

From June 23-30, the Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation hosted the UIPM 2024 Pentathlon Junior World Championships and 2024 African Championships at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport in Alexandria (EGY).

Alongside the competitions, 30 participants attended Self-Discovery workshops, and 10 took part in CV/Resume writing sessions, led by Anfisa Kasyanova, a certified Athlete365 Career+ educator and UIPM Education and Project Manager.

The Athlete365 Career+ Self-Discovery workshop is designed to help participants grow and develop self-awareness while exploring future career options. The CV/Resume writing workshops emphasise the importance of a well-prepared CV/Resume for job applications, university admissions, scholarships, grants, and various educational, career, and leadership programs.

Conducted in small groups of 3-10, the workshops allowed for dedicated attention to each athlete during exercises and activities. The sessions included icebreakers, tests and quizzes, completing the Me Map, CV reviews with recommendations, and informal discussions.

These sessions generated positive feedback, with one athlete describing them as an “eye-opener”. Participants also expressed interest in future topics such as effective social media use, career building in sports, and English language learning.

Each participant received an IOC Certificate of Participation and UIPM Paris 2024 pins. Three prizes from the UIPM Shop were awarded through a draw among participants.

“Our team is delighted to experience the Athlete 360 workshop. It completely speaks for itself as it touches all aspects and opportunities of being an athlete,” remarked Rex de la Cruz, Philippine Modern Pentathlon National Coach.

“It really shows that in UIPM we are not only focusing on the competitive spirit of the sport but also the welfare and future of our athletes outside the field of play. Keep it up!”

Emilija Nedzveckaitė from Lithuania, who finished 3rd last year in the Women’s Relay at the U17 European Championships and this year placed 3rd individually in Biathle and Laser Run at the European Championships, added: “This is not my first workshop, but this one was really interesting. I liked and enjoyed it.

“I learned a lot about myself, I found out my good and bad sides, and it will definitely help me in the future. Therefore, I am very happy and grateful for this seminar.”

Tatiana Thomatos of South Africa, a promising athlete who competed in both the Junior World Championships and the African Championships, where she finished first in the U17 category, mentioned that this was her second year participating in UIPM educational activities.

She said: “I still remember a lot of information and life hacks from last year. When I have free time, I go through the interesting facts we learned. That’s why I was sure to attend this year's workshops because the topics were different.

“I don’t think it will affect my competition performance because otherwise, I would spend time on my phone or thinking about races. Switching to a learning process is always cool.”

UIPM began delivering Athlete365 workshops for athletes during competitions in Alexandria in 2021 during the U19 and U17 Youth World Championships, which were a success. Last year, at the same venue, UIPM organised an Athletes Forum for youth athletes with Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Sarolta Kovacs (HUN) as one of the distinguished panelists.

These initiatives are part of the UIPM ACP (Athletes Centred Programme), combining in-person and online activities and resources available on the UIPM Educational Platform, actively supported by UIPM Athletes Committee members.

The workshops fostered motivation and self-awareness among participants while providing valuable resources for their future careers. The process emphasised the importance of athlete welfare beyond competition, resonating well with participants and coaches alike.

More pictures from the Athlete365 workshop available here.