Why We Created MYRA

Empowering Athlete Development Globally

Athlete development and the pursuit of peak performance is a complex, multifaceted, and long journey. Most athletes have periods of stagnation or underperformance. Research shows that up to 60% of athletes experience the Unexplained Underperformance Syndrome (UUPS) during their careers[i]. Alarmingly, more than 90% of these never fully recover or face recurrence of UUPS. The main reason for this is lack of evidence-based strategies to prevent and treat underperformance and burnout. Unfortunately, many elite teams and federations today have not implemented effective support structures to prevent and treat underperformance. This is not only harmful to  the athletes, but also a waste of the investment sport organizations make into their systems.  

With MYRA Center for Athlete Development, we are building evidence-based systems that combine scientific rigor with practical experience to  prevent and treat UUPS and thereby facilitate the process of optimizing performance and athlete wellbeing. 

Myra means “swampland” in Norwegian. Long runs in the myr is a time-tested workout in the Norwegian nordic ski culture because it helps develop endurance, power, and mental strength. Image from Didrik Tønseth (@toenseth, https://www.instagram.com/p/B3uDqBZJNqB/)

 Our Journey and Expertise

MYRA Center for Athlete Development is being launched by a team of world-leading experts in elite endurance sports whose collective experience covers a broad spectrum - from the academic world to practical insights of working with world-class athletes around the world. 

Our chairman, Professor Øyvind Sandbakk, is a highly regarded scientist with an extensive number of publications in the field of endurance sports. His research, combined with his work with the world’s best endurance athletes at Olympiatoppen and the Norwegian Center for Elite Sports, has positioned him as a global leader in athletic performance development. Professor Sandbakk is now Director of Sport at NTG, the Norwegian School of Elite Sports, where he continues to shape the future of Norwegian sports.

Our CEO, Trond Nystad, brings in a wealth of successful experience from the applied world of coaching across many sports and nations. Trond has coached multiple national cross-country skiing teams, worked with a wide range of world-class athletes and helped many athletes return from underperformance. His experience with athletes and teams that have competed at the highest level brings a practical, evidence-based perspective to MYRA’s offerings and his methodical “no-nonsense” approach to athlete development has been vital in shaping our philosophy.

As the General Manager, Sophie Herzog, PhD, coordinates the daily work and is the primary performance analyst of the company. Her personal sport experience combined with her work with some of the world’s best triathletes ensure operational excellence. 

Together with co-founders Adam Groff, MD, Dr. Silvana Bucher Sandbakk, Dr. Rune Talsnes, Erik Sterud, and Dr. Vikram Singh Parmar, MYRA  aspires to be at the forefront of innovation, operates seamlessly, and brings our vision of athlete development to a global audience.

What we offer: A Focus on Underperformance and Beyond

The MYRA team has deep experience with helping underperforming athletes. World champion athletes like Didrik Tønseth and Emil Iversen are examples of individuals who needed support when their performance faltered. Even in Norway's well-equipped sports system, these elite athletes faced uncertainty and underperformance, demonstrating the need for our services.

This is why our first offering is focused on screening and mapping out the underlying causes for Unexplained Underperformance Syndrome. Our process focuses on detection, intervention, and education. In collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, MYRA has developed a digital screening tool that helps athletes assess their risk for UUPS and pinpoint where support is needed. Based on the tool’s results, we offer consultations for deeper analysis and to create personalized recovery plans. Our comprehensive recovery program is designed to help athletes monitor progress, adjust training, and build professional habits. We also provide regular testing and analysis tools to guide the athletic journey. If necessary, we can connect athletes with specialists to ensure they have the right support every step of the way. Beyond our analytical tools, and consultative recovery program, athletes, coaches and organizations can access our knowledge based on the latest science and tailored recovery or performance programs aimed at providing knowledge and optimizing performance. Whether it’s testing, performance programming or implementing support systems, MYRA integrates a multitude of performance elements into a comprehensive framework designed to promote sustainable, long-term athlete development.

Looking Ahead: Building a Global Network for Athlete Development

With MYRA, we envision a future where athletes, teams, and organizations worldwide have access to an integrated suite of tools, data, content and systems that enhance their development and support systems. Our goal is to empower not just elite athletes, but also coaches and organizations at every level with our performance mindset, knowledge and innovative and holistic tools that target performance optimization, prevention of underperformance, and long-term success.

We see MYRA evolving into a global platform where athletes and organizations come together to advance athlete development across all sports and around the world. While MYRA is based on cutting-edge performance science and evidence-based tools, we are driven by a belief in the importance of care and human connection. At MYRA, we use data to inform and guide our decisions, but we recognize that data alone cannot capture the full complexity of human performance. We prioritize a deeply human-centered approach, listening, caring, and supporting athletes as unique individuals. By addressing the gaps that data alone cannot fill, we help athletes grow and thrive, both in sport and in life.

The journey ahead excites us, as we look forward to collaborating with countless athletes, teams, and organizations to expand our methods and model beyond Norway. Together, we believe we can redefine what’s possible in sport and make peak performance accessible to all.

If you want to learn more, contact us here.

[i] Meeusen R, Duclos M, Foster C, et al. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome: joint consensus statement of the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013;45(1):186–205. PubMed ID: 23247672 doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e318279a10a