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Commenee named new head coach
Evening Standard 23 Sep 2008Charles Van Commenee was today confirmed as the new head coach of British athletics through to the 2012 London Olympics.
The 50-year-old Dutchman has replaced Dave Collins after UK Athletics scrapped the role of performance director in favour of a more hands-on coaching position.
UKA chief executive Niels de Vos believes the redefined role will provide Britain's athletes with the best coaching support for 2012.
Britain fell one short of their target of five athletics medals at the Beijing Olympics.
De Vos said: "Performance director is too broad a role in a sport as complex as athletics. Dave did a very good job at putting systems in place but systems do not win you medals."
Van Commenee coached Denise Lewis to heptathlon Olympic gold in 2000 and Kelly Sotherton to bronze in Athens four years ago.
He was a contender for the UKA's performance director role four years ago but took up a similar position with the Dutch Olympic Committee and his approach helped them achieve their second biggest medal haul in Beijing.
