Open Letter to our Team behind the Team

Dear coaches, staff and officials,

On behalf of Athletics Australia, I would like to congratulate you on your contribution to the success of the Australian Athletics Team for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Our team in Tokyo was the second most successful Australian Athletics Team of all time at an Olympic Games, with all 63 athletes making a lasting impression. In total, the team achieved three medals, five Australian records, 14 top-8 finishes, 20 personal bests and finished 10th out of 197 nations on the World Athletics Placing Table.

While athletes receive much of the recognition, it’s just as important that we recognise the dedication, commitment and passion of our team behind the team who have been the foundation of this success. For that, we’d like to express our gratitude for the role you have played over the Tokyo cycle and for the in-roads you have already achieved as we look ahead to Paris 2024.

We’d like to applaud the entire High Performance team, including our AA Event Group Leads and our Tokyo Team Coaches who have led the charge for this campaign. In particular, we want to acknowledge the work of Craig Hilliard who hit another milestone in our sport, completing his eighth Olympic Games as a Team Coach. While his role in Tokyo was as our Targeted Athlete Campaign Lead, he has made an invaluable contribution to this team, which has had a direct impact on our athlete and coaching success. The work he has done over this cycle will continue to influence Australian athletics for many years and many teams to come.

Thank you once again from Athletics Australia. We are now moving into one of the brightest eras for our sport, and we look forward to continuing this momentum with you as we begin the journey towards many major championships in 2022.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Bromley
Athletics Australia
Chief Executive Officer