Athletics Canada removes sprint coaches after strong season

Crystal Emmanuel after the women's 4x100m relay.
Crystal Emmanuel after the women's 4x100m relay.
Crystal Emmanuel after the women’s 4x100m relay. Photo: Chris Lepik

Less than a year before the Rio Olympics, Athletics Canada has fired two of their head sprint coaches.

Wednesday evening sprint coaches Desai Williams and Anthony McCleary were removed from their positions heading Athletics Canada’s East Hub in Toronto and coaching the sprint and hurdle teams at the hub.

“The reorganization follows a review of the high performance plan to ensure Athletics Canada is on the right performance path towards Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020,” reads a press release from Athletics Canada.

The decision comes at an odd time, after Canada’s sprinters had what many would consider the best summer in 15 years. Nearly all the sprinters who train at the hub achieved personal best performances during the season and the women’s 4x100m relay team set a new national record at the world championships. Three athletes on that relay team—Kimberly Hyacinthe, Crystal Emmanuel and Khamica Bingham—were coached at the East Hub by Williams and McCleary.

Most of the success the Canadian men’s sprint team saw in 2015 was by athletes who are not based out of the Toronto training environment.

The fill the hole, Charles Allen and Jason Kerr will work with the hub as mentor coaches. Jeff Huntoon, who has been coaching with Athletics Canada since 2014, will take over the role of lead coach at the hub.

Desai Williams, during his days as an athlete, trained under Charlie Francis alongside Ben Johnson.

At the time of publication, Athletics Canada head coach Peter Eriksson, could not be reached for comment.

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