Athletics Ireland publishes High Performance Plan 2013-2016

Athletics Ireland today, Thursday, 16 May 2013, announced details of its High Performance Plan. The plan's core ambition is to have "More Irish Athletes Winning on the World Stage". The plan provides a comprehensive framework for producing more opportunities for medal success and includes action plans in each of seven key areas over the next four years. The plan envisages 24 Championship medal opportunities in the period 2013-2016. The key elements of the High Performance Plan are listed below and the Plan’s Executive Summary is available at hp.athleticsireland.ie

Commenting on the plan, Athletics Ireland's High Performance Director, Kevin Ankrom said the ambition is clear - "to have more Irish athletes with more opportunities for medal success on the international stage". "The plan is based on Athletics Ireland investing in a performance centered system, focused on the athlete and driven by the coaches - all supported by our High Performance team and resources ", Ankrom said "At the core of the plan is a systems and evidence based approach to supporting athletes and coaches in key events where the investment is most likely to produce the maximum opportunities for success" he said. "The approach is to make the full range of support services and structures available to athletes and work together with the athletes, coaches and performance staff to provide the optimum level of support which can also compliment the athlete's own team's existing structures".

President of Athletics Ireland Ciarلn O' Cathلin said "Athletics Ireland has now laid down a framework which will result in more opportunities for success at the key international events and championships in the coming years". "This approach will take time some time to bed in and will require the family of Athletics working closely together - Athletics Ireland is fully committed to helping make this happen", he added. "I want to thank the Irish Sports Council and the Institute of Sport in Ireland for their assistance with and support of this plan" said O Cathلin.

Athletics Ireland's CEO John Foley said driving the plan forward is now a key focus for the organisation and maintaining investment levels in high performance is essential to achieving long term success. "We have committed to this plan as the best way forward for elite level success in Irish athletics", he said. "The delivery of the High Performance Plan will require significant investment over the four years ahead and we will continue to prioritise funding for the Plan", Foley added.

Ray Flynn, Chairman of the Athletics Ireland High Performance Committee said he welcomed the publication of the High Performance Plan. "The Plan provides the necessary structures and support systems across the spectrum of areas from which athletes can benefit", said Flynn. "This level of data based, athlete focussed support will bring significant benefits to our elite level athletes and will complement the structures which many of our leading athletes already have in place", he added. "It is genuinely an exciting and positive time for athletics and we look to the future with some optimism, Flynn concluded. The plan is being rolled out to all key stakeholders over the coming weeks.

The key points of Athletics Ireland's High Performance Plan are:

• 1. 1st plan of its type in Irish athletics
• 2. Ambition is to have "more Irish athletes winning on world stage"
• 3. Target 24 medal opportunities at major championships
• 4. Provides both a vision and a practical framework for success
• 5. It's an evidence and systems based approach which is sustainable in the long term
• 6. It's designed to provide athletes with support across every aspect of High Performance
• 7. Will require change of approach - from AAI, athletes, coaches
• 8. It's an investment in the future of Irish athletics
• 9. High Performance strategies are proven to deliver success

A summary of the High Performance Plan is available at hp.athleticsireland.ie