Coach hopes to leave legacy at the Games

A Sunderland-born coach is hoping to make his mark on the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Jonny Riall, British Triathlon’s paratriathlon head coach, has been announced as triathlon team leader for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.

Riall, who now works out of Loughborough University, founded the Paralympic programme in 2009 and has been the team leader for their Paralympic programme since 2013.

He said: “It just feels like an incredible honour, to be the person who gets to build and shape the team at a home Games, it’s just brilliant.

“I feel like I’ ve got an opportunity to use all the things I’ve learnt in the last 10 years to give the athletes everything they need to go and perform really well.”

Riall first got involved in the sport as a volunteer for Team England at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and for the last 20 years has dedicated his life to trying to be the best coach and team leader that he can be.

He added: “I know where my skills sit, and it’s very much within team dynamics, and working with people to get the best out of them.

“There will be a lot of things thrown at us at a home Games. "It’s my job to capitalise on all of that, but to try and make it a nice, relaxed and calm environment for our athletes to enjoy.

"For me, the success of any elite event is about the legacy it leaves behind, so I’ve already created a working group in our organisation to try and capitalise on all the areas that a home Games can give us.”