Christian Malcolm loses role as Olympic head coach with UK Athletics

Christian Malcolm has been Olympic head coach since September 2020

UK Athletics will discontinue Christian Malcolm's Olympic head coach role as part of a restructure.

Malcolm will remain in position until after August's European Championships and will continue to work with the athletes ahead of next month's World Championships in Eugene.

The 43-year-old will hold talks with UKA over other opportunities, having been in the head coach role since September 2020.

The former sprinter became the first Black head coach in the Olympic role in the sport when he was appointed.

"I am very disappointed to hear about the news but understand the rationale around this decision," he said.

"My priority now is to continue working in the same way, maintaining professionalism and doing my job throughout the summer. I am fully focused on supporting our athletes and coaches, during this extremely busy summer for our sport.

"We have some incredibly talented athletes - some of whom have ambitious aims to compete across three major championships this summer.

Welshman Malcolm represented Great Britain at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games

"I'm looking forward to seeing them compete and supporting those individuals towards the World and European Championships, as well as representing their home nations during the Commonwealth Games."

Reports claim Stephen Maguire, who also applied for the role in 2020, is set to return to UKA in a new technical director role.

The plans have been part of an ongoing strategy review with UK Sport and will come into force from September.

There will be increased levels of support and engagement with athletes on the World Class Performance programme and a significant increase in financial investment in the personal coaches of the athletes on the WCP.

There will also be new event leadership appointments to work alongside the WCP head of sprints and relays and WCP endurance performance manager.

UKA is also close to finalising the appointment of its new technical director with a view to them starting in September.