Meet The Queen's Elite Athletes - Bláithín Bogue

18th, Apr 2023

Kingsbridge Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic works in partnership with the athletes, coaching staff and fitness teams at Queen’s Sport, Queen’s University in Belfast. As we enter the final semester we wanted to shine a light on some of the students and Elite Athletes that we are delighted to support.

Next up is Bláithín Bogue, Full Time Pharmacy Student from Fermanagh and Elite Athlete (GAA) at Queen’s. Blaithin has 4 siblings, 1 of which is also an academy athlete at Queen’s - Athleticism must be in the genes!

Are you a morning person and if so what’s the first thing you do when you waken up?

Yes I would be a morning person and the first thing I do is look at my phone! I’m definitely an early riser, up by half 7 every morning. Depending on the day, I could be up for class or the gym.

What’s your favourite meal time of the day and what are you most likely to have on your plate?

Breakfast - I love porridge, bananas and honey.

Is nutrition important to you and if so do you take any health supplements daily?

Yes nutrition is important to me. I take magnesium supplements. I am Anaemic so I also take iron tablets. I eat 3 meals a day which includes protein and carbs which is important for sport.

How many times a week do you go to the gym, what is you least desirable exercise and why?

I try to go to the gym 2-3 times a week and I would be on the pitch 3 times a week. My least favourite exercise is the on pitch running sessions. 

Have you ever been injured through your sport? If so, what happened to you and how long were you recovering?

I tore my AC joint last year which meant I was supposed to be out for 6-8 weeks however we had a championship within 4 weeks, so I had to power on! I saw Shea recently for back problems who suggested a second MRI to look closer into the cause. I dislocated my shoulder in January and was out for 8 weeks.

What do you do to relax?

I live in Belfast and enjoy visiting friends for a chat, however it can be hard to find time to relax due to my busy schedule. I also have a part time job at Campbell’s Pharmacy at Maguire’s Bridge in Fermanagh and work there on Fridays and Saturdays.

What other sport do you think you might excel in and why?

Soccer - I played a bit when I was younger!

How many hours sleep to you get on average and do you think this is enough?

8 hours

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

“Family first, books, then sport! Look after your family and studies first, your sport will always be there.”

Over the next 12 to 18 months what are your overall objectives whilst being on the Elite Athlete Programme at Queen’s?

To become a better athlete. With Queen’s the league is coming up so would like to qualify to the semi-final and the O’Connor Cup Championship weekend (Mayo) to get into the top 4.

What do you love most about being a student on the course?

We are very well looked after - they check up on you regularly and offer support when needed. Currently I am struggling with my back, so they will let you take a rest.

Who are your biggest Influencers in Sport and in Life?

My Dad, he started me off playing football when I was very young, he trained my older brothers team when they were young and I use to come along to watch/ try to play.

How did you hear about the EAP Programme at Queens?

I heard about the programme online as they post a lot about it on their social media pages.

How do you find the support from Kingsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic and being able to avail of Athlete Profiling?

The strength profiling was very interesting. I had never done anything like that before. It was good to see where I was at with the different plyometrics and strength. I am currently with Shea for my back pain, and he has been very helpful.

What have been memorable achievements so far, and what is in the pipeline for the remainder of the year?               

Making the O’Connor cup weekend with the Queens girls this year has probably been the highlight of my experience playing for queens since I started in 2019. For the remainder of the year, I hope to compete well in both the Ulster and All- Ireland championships with Fermanagh and hopefully receive some silver wear at the end of the season.

And lastly, what is the end goal?

The end goal is to continue improving as a player and to try achieve as much as I can throughout my career with both my club Tempo and county Fermanagh.

For further information on our services available at Kingsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic, please click here

If you would like to find out more about the Queen's EAP Programme and other programmes available, please click here

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