Centre launch at uni

A new performance triathlon centre designed to develop the next generation of world-class Scottish and British athletes, has launched at Stirling University.

The National Triathlon Centre is a joint partnership between the university, British Triathlon and Triathlon Scotland which will see the university’s existing scholarship programme integrate with the governing bodies’ performance pathways.

With shared funding provision and strategic overview across the partners, Stirling becomes one of five centres within British Triathlon’s performance pathway tasked with supporting the long-term development of talented athletes, whilst providing a dual-career pathway through academia.

Crawford Whyte has been named lead performance coach for the centre at University of Stirling and looks forward to his task of preparing athletes to compete at a senior world level. Whyte, who was part of the Team Scotland coaching staff at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, said:“it’s a great opportunity to be leading the National Triathlon Centre.

“I look forward to taking on the challenge of developing the centre and supporting athletes that have chosen to train here in Stirling.”

Whyte will be assisted by Gold Coast Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Marc Austin, who trained and studied at the University of Stirling which has also seen several other notable Team Scotland athletes come through includingworld Duathlon champion, Catriona Morrison, World Ironman bronze medallist, David Mcnamee and World University champion, Grant Sheldon.

University of Stirling Executive Director of Sport, Cathy Gallagher, said:“the establishment of the new National Triathlon Centre marks the start of an exciting journey for the University,triathlon Scotland and British Triathlon to develop and support the next generation of top-class triathletes from Scotland and across the UK.”