In partnership with the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS), Triathlon Australia is excited to announce two new national roles aimed at providing world class support for Australian athletes.

The sport will benefit from the integration of NSWIS knowledge and expertise into the daily training environment with Troy Baverstock commencing as the National Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Manager while Dr Mike Martin has been confirmed as the National Performance Psychology Lead.

Triathlon Australia National Performance Director Justin Drew believes this support places us in the best position to deliver our objectives in the next two Olympic cycles. 

“With the help of the AIS and NSWIS we are well positioned to ensure that our athletes and coaches have access to quality people across our national network.

“Triathlon Australia and our sport partners remain focused on providing holistic support to an athlete’s performance, health and life beyond competition in the lead up to Tokyo and through to Paris,” said Drew.

Following the Australian Institute of Sport’s launch of the Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement division earlier this year, Baverstock will help support athletes in their professional development and career progression, education, mental health and general wellbeing, with the goal of improving an athlete’s ability to effectively navigate the critical transition points throughout and beyond their sport career. 

Dr Martin, NSWIS’ Performance Psychology Section Lead, will play a key role helping athletes, coaches and support staff to develop the mental skills required to manage the high intensity situations involved in sport.

NSWIS CEO Professor Kevin Thompson spoke about the importance of such roles to an athlete’s development.

“Securing nationally integrated roles for coaches and performance support staff remains a key objective for NSWIS, working towards the ultimate goal of ensuring world-class performance”, he said. 

“Both Troy and Mike are highly experienced and well connected, providing the ability to leverage support across the country for Australian athletes. Their expertise will be a valuable asset for Triathlon Australia in the development and ongoing preparation of athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and beyond.”

NSWIS has worked closely with Triathlon Australia in supporting eight-to-ten Australian categorised athletes training at the Wollongong International Performance Centre as well as other locations across Australia and internationally. The program supports athletes in preparation for Individual, Mixed Team Relay and Paralympic events with the goal of achieving international success at benchmark events.