At the UK Sports Institute, athletes train and rehabilitate within one of the most advanced high performance environments in the UK. Coaches and practitioners work alongside sport scientists, using precision equipment such as sensors, force plates, cameras and infrared technology to capture detailed performance metrics including stride distance, jump height and fatigue.
The Institute already had strong data capture in place at the point of training. The next opportunity was using that data faster and more consistently across sessions.
Traditionally, session data could be reviewed after training to inform future programmes. While this supported thoughtful planning, the Institute recognised that real time visibility would unlock an additional layer of value, allowing teams to respond during the session itself when an athlete is moving and adjustments can be made immediately.
This ambition reflects the Institute’s focus on marginal gains, where small, timely decisions can make a meaningful difference to rehabilitation outcomes and training quality.
Arreoblue partnered with the UK Sports Institute to implement a real time streaming architecture on Databricks, designed to bring performance data into a central platform as sessions take place, then make it usable for analysis and decision making.
The architecture follows a clear, scalable pattern that supports live sessions while remaining flexible enough to grow.
This solution utilises streaming or batch ingestion depending on the requirements of the trainer
Data is ingested via Azure Event Hub for streaming inputs and Azure Data Factory for batch and scheduled ingestion, depending on the source and cadence.
Streaming and transformation are handled in Azure Databricks, enabling real time processing alongside repeatable pipelines for standardisation and quality.
Data is stored in Delta Lake, organised through a layered model that moves from landing to raw, transformed and curated. This approach supports clarity, trust and extensibility as more facilities and data sources are introduced.
Insight is delivered through Databricks SQL Warehouses and SQL Endpoints, with Power BI connected directly to the warehouses. This allows analysts and practitioners to access consistent, governed views without relying on manual extraction from individual machine interfaces.
Because performance data is highly sensitive, governance and access control are built in from the start. The platform uses Unity Catalog, alongside Databricks account permissions and Databricks workspace permissions, to ensure the right people have the right access at the right time.
With real time streaming in place, the UK Sports Institute has extended how data supports coaching decisions, moving from post session review to in session insight.
Coaches and practitioners can now observe live performance signals, respond earlier to emerging issues, and fine tune programmes with greater confidence. In elite sport, where preparation time is limited and margins are tight, this responsiveness supports better rehabilitation decisions and more effective training interventions.
The platform also strengthens the Institute’s long term data foundations. By combining live session data with historical and contextual information, the UK Sports Institute continues to build a richer, more personalised understanding of athlete performance across programmes and facilities.
Implementation is underway in select training facilities, with plans to expand into more locations over the coming months.
As the partnership develops, Arreoblue and the UK Sports Institute will continue exploring how real time data can support deeper personalisation and performance insight, while remaining mindful that some future initiatives may sit under strict confidentiality.
The aim is simple. Keep the platform practical for teams on the ground, scalable across facilities, and flexible enough to support new data sources and new questions as sport science continues to evolve.
