Cycling NZ loses top coaches
Cycling New Zealand has lost two more established track coaches, as the fallout from its independent review continues.
The highly successful Brendon Cameron is stepping away, after making a big contribution as an Olympic and Commonwealth Games rider turned women’s and men’s endurance coach, while men’s sprint coach Jono Hamlin appears to have been lured to China.
Hamlin was a colleague of Anthony Peden, who is now China’s head sprint coach after leaving Cycling NZ earlier this year.
Peden left his post in May, amid the allegations about an inappropriate relationship with a rider and a culture of bullying, which led to the High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) investigation into the organisation.
Hamlin is said to want to further his career alongside his former boss Peden, while Cameron is worn out after years heading New Zealand’s Paralympic programme and then the men’s and women’s endurance set-ups.
That period was notable for, among other things, the Olympic pursuit gold medal he guided longtime partner Sarah Ulmer to.
‘‘Brendon has indicated that he wants to take a clean break from the rigours of coaching in high performance sport. Brendon will be a real loss to Cycling New Zealand and we thank him for all of his hard work and dedication,’’ Cycling NZ chief executive Andrew Matheson said in a statement.
‘‘Hamlin advised Cycling New Zealand that he intends to step away from his role as assistant sprint coach, as he intends to take up a coaching role overseas. Again we sincerely thank Jono for all his hard work.’’
Matheson himself has come in for criticism, in the wake of the HPSNZ review, but has been backed by the Cycling NZ board to steer the organisation back to credibility.