The achievements by Australia and New Zealand in sport on the basis of population size are quite remarkable. Both countries invest in sports coaching and training for elite athletes with the associated expertise in many areas of sports science. This article discusses the role of the mathematical sciences in these developments and the spreading of these ideas through the six conferences held, so far, on Mathematics and Computers in Sport. Because of my continuing participation in both mathematical research and competitive sporting activities, I have included a biographical perspective of my career in both these areas. This should indicate the long period of time needed before some goals are attained in either solving research problems or competing successfully.
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