Posted: December 30, 2004

Athletics: Max Binnington Named New National Performance Director

Prominent administrator and former Olympian Max Binnington was today appointed Athletics Australia’s new National Performance Director.

The search to fill the newly created position was in direct response to one of the major recommendations from the joint Athletics Australia and Australian Sports Commission review into the governance of athletics in Australia released in September and incorporated applications from across Australia and overseas. The new role will replace the existing position of Head Coach.

Mr Binnington competed for Australia in athletics at both a national and international level for many years, highlighted by his performances in the 110m hurdles and the 4 x 400m relay at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Mr Binnington also competed at three Commonwealth Games (1974, 1978 and 1982).

Mr Binnington has held numerous senior management positions in local government focusing on the areas of sport and education. He is currently a director and principal consultant of his own company, specialising in human resources and recruitment.

Athletics Australia Acting Chairman Ken Roche said today that he was excited by the wide range of expertise Mr Binnington will bring to the position.

"This new role is one of great importance for our sport as we seek to build on the depth of talent we have here in Australia and strive to assure further performance excellence from our elite athletes at both a national and international level - a result I think Max definitely has the skills and knowledge base to achieve", Mr Roche said.

Athletics Australia CEO Danny Corcoran said Mr Binnington’s role will encompass a number of core objectives.

"Max will be directly responsible for developing, delivering and evaluating the high performance plan. Essentially what this means for our athletes, coaches and our sport is that we are committed to providing the best possible support structures to assist our athletes maximise their potential."

As a competing athlete, in 1982 Mr Binnington was awarded the inaugural Edwin Flack Award for his contributions to the development of athletics by a competing athlete.

Mr Binnington is a Victorian Institute of Sport nominated coach and coaches regularly at Glenhuntly Athletics Club. He is a director of various sporting organisations including Athletics Victoria (President) and the Victorian Athletics Foundation and was also appointed as a member of the AA/ASC Governance Committee responsible for reviewing the governance of athletics in Australia this year.