Catapult is Powering a New Era of Data-Driven Sport

A fraction of a second, the advantage of a single data point, a marginal gain — in today’s world of elite sport, these make all the difference on the playing field.

While physical preparation is, and always has been crucial, the ability to measure and analyze sports performance objectively is transforming the game. And this is Catapult’s world.

Catapult’s journey began with a national challenge: Give the Australian Olympic team a competitive edge. A partnership between the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), resulted in a new generation of wearable devices. It was a first. A scientific approach that proved instrumental in Team Australia’s success at the Athens Olympics and led to the founding of Catapult in 2006.

Building on the foundational success of athlete performance, Catapult extended its innovative approach to other equally high demanding sports environments. From the gym to the whitewash, Catapult’s never ending quest to improve its sports performance data meant it became a crucial part of a teams’ development.

Formula 1 has long been a pioneer in data analysis and its critical role in decision-making. At the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix, Catapult’s Chief Technology Officer, Gareth Griffith, observed then-Honda Chief Strategist James Vowels buried in data rather than watching the actual race itself. This observation sparked a vital realization for Griffith: integrating essential data and information with video allows F1 teams to make critical decisions while staying engaged with the race. This led to the creation of RaceWatch. 

Born out of Griffith’s keen observation, it quickly proved to be indispensable, as demonstrated by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team. 

Rosie Wait, Head of Race Strategy, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, explains: 

“We use RaceWatch software throughout every race — during every single practice session, qualifying, and race when we are reviewing what’s happened for preparation and analysis afterward.”  Mercedes needs the complete picture and thanks to RaceWatch it has it. As Wait adds, “If you don’t have the full picture of what’s going on, you can’t make the right decision. We don’t operate in isolation; we need to understand what the tires are doing, what our drivers are feeling, and what other people are doing.” 

The insights gained from developing RaceWatch, especially in tailoring information for diverse users, again transcends into other major sports. It helps create champions.

For the reigning World Cup champions, England’s Red Roses women’s national rugby team uses Catapult’s technology to monitor athlete intensity and exposure on the pitch, ensuring peak performance with consistent and reliable data.  

The England Rugby men’s national team, integrates Catapult Vector with MatchTracker, providing coaches with detailed visualizations of an athlete’s running speed and the physical stress on athletes that may lead to fatigue. This allows for rapid insights into player performance patterns and trends. Jason Mealing, England Pathway Strength and Conditioning Coach, highlights the “game changer” nature of Catapult on the pitch, with real-time messages to coaches and optimized play sessions. Mealing continues, “We can quantify the data and make it more meaningful so we get an idea of total work done with the volume, and intensity of how hard or how fast that player is actually performing in the session.”

The roar of the crowd, the competitive tension in a game, the sheer will to win – these are the timeless elements of sports. Yet, beneath the surface, Catapult is the silent, yet driving engine of technological progress in sports. With over 4,600 teams globally entrusting their ambitions to Catapult’s technology, Catapult is not just analyzing athlete performance; it’s illuminating the path to victory. Just as the desire for elite sports success grows, so does Catapult’s journey of innovation never stops.  As Griffith states, “I’ve never considered us to be a third-party company. We are part of the team.”

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