The Welsh Family-Run Business Helping Team GB Grab Gold in Tokyo

With the delayed 2020 Olympics finally underway and Team GB already securing a wealth of medals in Tokyo, a Welsh family-run business is chomping at the bit to see Britain’s athletes bring home even more honours following their efforts in providing expert training facilities in Tokyo. 

After an operation two years in the making, a team from Absolute Performance in Cardiff recently flew out to Japan to create three optimum strength & conditioning training spaces for Team GB which cater for a vast array of athletic disciplines. 

The facilities, at Todoroki Stadium, Keio University and the Performance Lodge at Odaiba, have already been seen in the press the world over after being meticulously planned with coaches and officials to give athletes the edge in bringing back gold for Britain. 

Managing Director, Tony Buchanan, says, “The designs, the planning, the logistics, the late nights and countless cups of coffee have all powered toward this point. We packed and shipped tonnes upon tonnes of flooring, world class equipment, elite customised kit and all-important tools to create spaces that will support Team GB in rising to Olympic glory.” 

Fifteen years ago, after forging an established career in the fitness industry, Tony Buchanan was able to look at the gym installations many companies were providing the UK fitness industry and able to identify that something was missing.   

Since turning to his wife, Sian, and saying ‘we can do better’, the husband-and-wife duo have built up a team around them who have gone on to install hundreds of private, commercial, and athletic training spaces across the UK and Europe.  

Absolute Performance, which has also provided training facilities for the likes of Newcastle United, England Rugby and Welsh rugby legend, Sam Warburton, were chosen to supply strength and conditioning training facilities for Team GB after delivering the same for the Rio Olympics.  

In 2016, the team designed, created and installed the stunning training areas which aided Team GB in bringing home a record 67 medals for Great Britain. However, as the business’s loyal client base and reputation grew, it remained humble; a small team operating out of a warehouse in Cardiff. 

“Satisfied customers always come back and we were already an excited year into our Olympic planning for the Tokyo games when the COVID pandemic first hit,” adds Tony, “They had been marked in our calendar for some time so when they were postponed last year, it proved to be an incredibly difficult period for the company. 

“We couldn’t predict how it would affect our workforce and operations. Put simply, it was a case of ‘dust yourself off and come back stronger’.” 

Versatile enough to be used across all sorts of different training disciplines, even the events that don’t require ‘extreme’ strength will benefit from the flexibility and functional training benefits of Absolute Performance’s installations out in Japan.  

But with a keen interest specifically in fields such as swimming and cycling, Absolute Performance is delighted to already see athletes such as Team GB’s Adam Peaty, Tom Dean, Tom Pidcock and Duncan Scott secure podium finishes. 

“There is something special about working with a team who are competing in the largest global sporting competition, seen by billions of people worldwide. The Olympics bring the world together to celebrate fantastic achievements, friendships, and sportsmanship,” concludes Tony. 

“I’m thrilled that our perseverance, fueled by our passion for this project, has led to supplying the very best facilities to help Team GB achieve their long-trained for goals and bring home the gold.”