Lucy Smith is known chiefly for running. What many people don鈥檛 realize is that she also has a strong background in swimming and cycling coaching, all of which are the ingredients that go into the triathlon. That will be put to good use as Victoria-based Triathlon sa国际传媒 begins its rebuild for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, with stops at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, 2023 Santiago, Chile, Pan Am Games and the regular World Cup and World Series circuits.
The Canadian 颅international Smith, 19-time national 颅champion over several 颅disciplines and six-time sa国际传媒 10K champion, has been named Triathlon sa国际传媒 interim CEO, effective immediately. CEO Kim Van Bruggen of Victoria will be on a previously announced leave of absence until October.
鈥淚鈥檓 so embedded in the 颅running community here that Victoria knows me for that,鈥� said Smith.
鈥淏ut I competed in triathlons and duathlons [winning a world championship medal in the 颅latter] from 1995 to 2006. For the past three years I鈥檝e been with Triathlon sa国际传媒 in coaching education and rewrote all the reference material.鈥�
This has been a turbulent time for Triathlon sa国际传媒, with embattled national team head coach Jono Hall stepping down last week and returning to Australia after six years in Victoria. Hall was suspended for five days in June, Triathlon 颅Magazine sa国际传媒 reported Tuesday. An independent panel found no grounds for further discipline after investigating his communications style and coaching methods, according to 颅Triathlon sa国际传媒, which added that while 鈥淗all was found to have contravened certain parts of Triathlon sa国际传媒鈥檚 code of conduct and ethics,鈥� his resignation was in 鈥渘o manner whatsoever related to the recent Safe Sport claims voiced in the community 颅regarding his alleged breaches of Triathlon Canda鈥檚 code of 颅conduct and ethics.鈥�
Smith would not comment directly about the Hall situation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be easy, but right now I feel I can help,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to be of service at a time when it鈥檚 needed. I know I can do this.鈥�
Triathlon sa国际传媒 concurs.
鈥淟ucy [Smith] is a 颅familiar face to many in sa国际传媒鈥檚 颅triathlon community. It was important to the Board of 颅Directors to appoint a 颅member of the current staff 鈥� a 颅professional who would be able to provide stability during this time with a calm and measured temperament,鈥� said 颅Triathlon sa国际传媒 president Peter McCrory, in a statement.
The first big post-Tokyo Olympics event is happening in-country Saturday with the 2021 world triathlon championships taking place at Hawrelak Park in Edmonton and featuring five of the six individual men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 medallists from the recent Tokyo Games.
