TRIATHLON COACHES GIVEN THE OLYMPIC TOUCH ON THE GOLD COAST

TRIATHLON, May 11: A who's who of Australia's High Performance Olympic coaches have been on the Gold Coast this week imparting their knowledge on the next generation of aspiring elite level Triathlon coaches.

The lecturers have included Olympic coaches Stephan Widmer (swimming) who has been responsible for taking the likes of Libby Trickett, Leisel Jones and Jessicah Schipper to Olympic and World Championship gold and Warren McDonald (cycling) who has guided Australia's National women's road cycling team.

They have been joined by top AIS track and field coach Peter Hannan and triathlon's leading coaches, National Head Coach and 2008 Olympic coach Shaun Stephens and 2000 Olympian and 2008 Olympic coach Craig Walton at an intensive week-long coaching course.

Triathlon Australia's National Talent and Development Manager Craig Redman has assembled the Olympic coaches to lecture a group of 30 triathlon coaches at a Triathlon Australia Level Two Coach Education Course at the Runaway Bay Sport and Leadership Excellence Centre.

"We could not have asked for a more elite line up of coaches than the group we have assembled," said Redman.

"Stephan on swimming, Warren McDonald on cycling and the likes of AIS track and field coach Peter Hannon on running have provided an amazing insight into their individual disciplines.

"At the conclusion they will have had four-and-half-days of  intensive live-in lecturing  that has consisted of a mixture of lectures, workshops, seminars and practical sessions by some of Australia's and indeed the world's leading coaches and service providers.

"We've had 31 coaches from all over Australia listening and learning from some of the best and I'm sure they will leave the Gold Coast at the end of the week with knowledge and information to burn as they head back to their respective programs.

"All course participants are gaining invaluable insights into coaching and athlete preparation at the highest level.

"They will be exposed to the business of coaching, training camps, recovery and regeneration and optimal nutrition along with the "nuts and bolts" of swim, bike and run.

"It is no doubt the coaches on this course will receive some outstanding information that will challenge them to make changes and improvements in their home training environments.

"Australia has been a dominant force in triathlon over the past three decades, with outstanding results at Olympic, World Championship and World Cup competition and it is Triathlon Australia's aim to ensure Australia's top athletes are looked after by the best coaches.

"The more we can educate our coaches and expose them to some of the best coaches in the world then our athletes are going to be in the very best of hands."