Kirsten Hellier, coach and mentor of Olympic and World Champion shot putter Valerie Vili, will again be on hand when Vili seeks to successfully defend her world crown in Berlin on 16 August.
Hellier has been appointed by Athletics New Zealand as one of four coaches that will be with the team in Berlin. Hellier, Halberg Awards coach of the year for the past two years, has been in attendance when Vili has won gold at Olympic and Commonwealth Games and the world title in Osaka in 2007.
Chris Pilone, who coached Hamish Carter to the gold medal in the triathlon at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, has been appointed distance coach. Andrew MacLennan will be a multi-events coach, and Elena Vinogradova will also coach in multi-events and sprints.
Vinogradova has coached at previous world championships as well as being attached to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games team. MacLennan is a successful sprint coach in Christchurch and was coach to the World University Games in 2001 and 2005.
The support staff appointed are physiotherapists headed by Helen Littleworth who looked after the team in Osaka and Louis Johnson. Littleworth is a former Black Ferns captain and she also played hockey for New Zealand in the late 1980's.
The team manager is Raylene Bates of Dunedin, who managed the team in Osaka and also managed the track and field athletes at the Beijing Olympic Games last year.
NEW ZEALAND MANAGEMENT TEAM: WORLD ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Berlin, Germany 15-23 August.
Manager: Raylene Bates
Coaches:
- Kirsten Hellier (throws)
- Andrew MacLennan (multi-events)
- Chris Pilone (distance running)
- Elena Vinogradova (sprints and multi-events)
Support:
- Helen Littleworth (lead physiotherapist)
- Louis Johnson (second physiotherapist)
