Yesterday British Athletics announced its new Head of Sprints and Hurdles, Stephen Maguire, will assume full control of the sprint relay programme ahead of next season.
The Northern Irishman was recruited from scottishathletics earlier this year where he was Head Coach for the Scottish team at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
At the time of the announcement Nigel Holl, chief executive of scottishathletics, said ‘his influence in the two years leading in towards the Commonwealth Games has been significant. I believe that has been not only at the elite performance end of things but further in helping integrate and support our development plans and programmes.
‘Now concepts which Stephen has brought to Scotland can be brought to bear at UK level. Arrangements are in place for Stephen’s influence to still impact in Scotland – through his new role at British Athletics and also working with the new team we will put in place.’
Yesterday Neil Black, British Athletics Performance Director, said via press release:
“I am delighted that the original vision for my elite coaching team all based within the National Performance Centre is now finally fully in place. The relay process which Rana started and which this summer was delivered in tandem with Stephen, has given both sprint relay squads real belief and a solid technical foundation for future success.”
Maguire will be looking to pick up where Rana Reider left off with the American reverting to being a freelance coach.
Reider joined UKA in 2012 and will leave his role at the British Athletics National Performance Centre in Loughborough where he currently coaches Harry Aikines-Aryeety, Dwain Chambers, Desirèe Henry, Anyika Onuora, Richard Kilty, James Ellington, Shara Proctor, Tiffany Porter, Lynsey Sharp and Martyn Rooney.
Whilst in Loughborough he has not only help many of his athletes to individual accolades but has overseen a remarkable turn in fortunes for the British relay teams with the women’s team – who failed to qualify for the Olympics in 2012 – breaking the national record not once, but twice in 2014, lowering the mark to 42.21 at the Zurich Diamond League.
