Black hired as UK Athletics performance director

LONDON (AFP) –

UK Athletics revealed that they have appointed Neil Black as their performance director and will announce the replacement for head coach Charles van Commenee, seen here in 2008, within the next few weeks.

UK Athletics revealed on Thursday that they have appointed Neil Black as their performance director and will announce the replacement for head coach Charles van Commenee within the next few weeks.

Black, until recently head of sports science and medicine for UK Athletics, will take over part of Van Commenee’s role after the Olympic head coach revealed he will quit in December after failing to hit his medal target at the London Games.

But the 53-year-old, who personally managed the support programmes for gold medallists Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, will also be charged with selecting Van Commenee’s successor.

The organisation have not had a performance director since 2008, when Dave Collins left, with the responsibility since then shared jointly between Van Commenee and chief executive Niels de Vos.

Black said: “It is an honour to be given the chance to lead the Olympic and Paralympic task force and be asked to lead colleagues with whom I have worked hand in glove for the last four years.

“The performance team has worked hard to change the structures and cultures of our sport and I very much look forward to working in partnership with colleagues to build on the success of the last four years as we continue on our journey to 2017 (the World Championships in London).”