SHAUN STEPHENS & MICHAEL FLYNN APPOINTMENTS

05 Feb 2009

Shaun Stephens has been appointed the AIS Triathlon Senior Coach as the latest addition to the new triathlon high performance program in Australia.

Stephens coached AIS athlete Emma Moffatt to a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and also guided Australian athletes to five world championship medals and 34 World Cup medals during his glittering career.

This newly created role will look to strengthen Australia's position as a powerhouse in world triathlon.

Stephens, who was Queensland Academy of Sport Head Coach between 2005 and 2007, said he was looking forward to the new position.

"To be appointed the first AIS Senior Coach is a massive honour and I am glad to take up the reins for this exciting chapter in our sport," Stephens said.

"The AIS has shown a strong commitment to the development of triathlon in Australia and I am sure we can push on from Beijing and continue to achieve even greater success on the world stage."

AIS Director, Professor Peter Fricker, said it was pleasing to have someone of Stephens' calibre in the new position.

"Shaun's pedigree speaks for itself and he has already helped many athletes to international medals, most recently Emma Moffatt in Beijing," Professor Fricker said.

"He will bring a great deal of experience to our new high performance set up and he is the right man to lead our athletes to further international sporting success."

Stephens will commence in the role on February 12 and will initially base himself out of Brisbane.

The announcement comes in the same week that National High Performance Director Michael Flynn commenced his new position.

Flynn was the High Performance Manager for Cycling Australia at both the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games where Australia won 16 medals (7 gold) in cycling.

The Australian triathlon team won one gold and one bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.