Athletics Australia’s coaching team expands 

The preparation of Australia’s track and field athletes for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games has been given a significant boost, with new roles added to Athletics Australia’s High Performance coaching structure. 

The role of National Performance Pathway Lead – Coaching has been created to support the refinement and delivery of Athletics Australia’s High Performance Coaching Strategy. With twenty years of experience in high performance sport, Dianne Huxley will take on this role, reporting to AA’s Athlete Performance Pathway Manager, Craig Pickering. Huxley’s position has been funded by the AIS Performance Pathways grant.  

Having been in leading roles in the Athletics Australia high performance program for the last 30+ years,  Craig Hilliard will take on the role of Targeted Athlete Campaign Lead, working closely with a select number of medal capable athletes and their coaches to support their preparation towards success at the Olympic Games in July 2021.   

As previously announced, Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson will also work within the High Performance team, and together with Hilliard will join the State Performance Advisor’s to work with targeted athletes and their personal coaches in their preparations for next year’s Olympic Games. 

In line with AA’s performance strategy, 20 world class coaches have also been appointed as National Event Group Leads and Panellists. While these coaches are from within AA’s High Performance network, the National Event Group Leads will have the responsibility of providing event- based opportunities for high performance coach development, technical and/or tactical knowledge and experience for the athletes and coaches within their event group and strengthening the pathway systems as more budding talent rise the ranks of Australian Athletics.  

“We are thrilled to be able to grow our High Performance team and establish these new roles of National Event Group Leads, National Performance Pathway Lead - Coaching and Targeted Athlete Campaign Lead,” General Manager of High Performance, Andrew Faichney said.  

“Each of these coaches have been sought out because of their expertise in their event. While many of these coaches have worked in our High Performance network for some time, they are undoubtedly some of the best coaches in Australia. 

 “I am confident each will be influential in achieving results in Tokyo, and beyond that, creating better pathway structures for our future High Performance athletes and coaches.” 

Athletics Australia Coaching Group:  

High Performance Coaching Leads and Consultants:  

• Craig Hilliard – Targeted Athlete Campaign Lead 

• Dianne Huxley – National Performance Pathway Lead - Coaching 

• Sally Pearson – Technical Athlete Consultant 

Able-bodied Event Group Leads: 

• Adam Larcom – Relays & Sprints 

• Matt Beckenham – Hurdles (in addition to his existing role as the ACT State Performance Advisor) 

• Nic Bideau – Middle Distance 

• Adam Didyk – Distance (in addition to existing role as the SA State Performance Advisor) 

• Brent Vallance – Walks  

• Gary Bourne – Horizontal Jumps 

• Alex Stewart – High Jump 

• Paul Burgess – Pole Vault 

• Scott Martin – Circular Throws 

• Grant Ward – Javelin and Combined Events (in addition to his existing role as the WA State Performance Advisor) 

Para National Event Group Panels: 

• Sebastian Kuzminski, Iryna Dvoskina and Matt Beckenham – Sprints and Jumps 

• Andrew Dawes, Louise Sauvage and Fred Periac – Wheelchair Track and Road 

• Philo Saunders – Endurance 

• Mike Barber and Hamish Macdonald – Throws 

Posted: 17/12/2020