Basketball Fiji Youth Olympics coach Earl Hughes is confident his young side will be physically prepared for the challenge ahead, with a structured training programme designed to have the players peaking when they arrive in Dakar, Senegal.

With preparations continuing for the upcoming Youth Olympics, Hughes says the team is building its fitness through a strength and conditioning programme, while also working towards adapting to the demands of the competition.

Hughes believes the weather conditions in Dakar should not pose a major concern for the players, with temperatures expected to be comparable to those experienced in Fiji.

“Weather shouldn’t be too much different from what we have here. Actually, it might be a little bit warmer, but I think we’ll be alright with that.”

The team is currently training at 6am, with additional sessions planned to replicate the demands of competing in multiple games in a single day.

Hughes says the coaching staff is also working to ensure training sessions reflect the intervals between matches, allowing players to better prepare for the tournament schedule.

“There will be an extra session that we put on during the day because we want to simulate how many games we’re going to play in the day. And we’re also going to have our sessions exactly in the time intervals between games.”

With the final draws yet to be confirmed, Hughes says the team’s preparation will become more structured once the match schedule is known.

The next month will be crucial as the young players continue building their fitness and sharpening their readiness for the international stage.

“There’s a lot that we have to do in the next month, but as soon as we get the draws confirmed, then we’ll be able to structure our training better.”

The Youth Olympics will begin on the 30th of next month to the 14th of November.