Legendary British athletics coach Malcolm Arnold has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week as the recipient of the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.
Arnold, who trained athletes from all around the world over a career that spanned almost 60 years until he retired in 2016, trained three Olympic champions, from Uganda, Canada and Great Britain. His athletes held world records in the 60m hurdles, the 110m hurdles, the 200m hurdles and the 400m hurdles.
Arnold’s career began as a physical education teacher, before heading to Uganda to become the Head Coach of the Athletics Federation. He led John Akii-Bua to African history when John became Africa’s first Olympic champion at Munich 1972. Malcolm then headed Welsh Athletics and British Athletics, and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the Queen of the United Kingdom in 2012 for services to athletics.
Along with Ulla Koch of Germany, Arnold will receive the award today during a ceremony to be held at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, in the presence of IOC President Thomas Bach and members of the IOC Athletes’ and Athletes’ Entourage Commissions.
“I feel very honoured to receive this award,” said Arnold. “Throughout my 42 years employment with British Athletics and its predecessors, I have been privileged to work with some great coaches and some outstanding athletes.
“Athlete development and coach education have been the basis of my work. Organised, professional coaching in the UK began in 1947 with outstanding work and inspiration by Geoffrey Dyson and I, along with some other professional colleagues, have been proud to follow in his footsteps. I have also been privileged to help develop and work with some outstanding volunteer coaches, who have contributed to the success of the British Athletics coaching scheme.
“I hope that my award will enthuse British Athletics in its new strategy – following their reviews of performance and coaching – towards improved coach education and young athlete development.”
British Olympic Association Chairman Sir Hugh Robertson said: "On behalf of the British Olympic Association and the wider British Olympic Family may I offer our sincere congratulations to Malcolm on receiving the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.
Malcolm embodies not only the Olympic Values but those of Team GB and this award is fitting recognition for the life-long dedication he has given to the sport athletics.”
Jason Gardener, President of UK Athletics and Olympic gold medallist, said: “On behalf of everyone at UK Athletics, and myself personally, I want to offer many congratulations to Malcolm for receiving the prestigious IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Malcolm achieved so much with so many athletes across multiple Olympic Games in almost 60 years as a coach, including with myself. To have him as my coach was a true honour and he is fully deserving of all of the appreciation that comes his way now that he is retired.
“The Olympic values closely align to how Malcolm was as a coach and is as a person and it is extremely pleasing to see him being recongised in this way after such a long and successful career. I hope he and his family have a wonderful time at the ceremony and get the chance to celebrate all of Malcolm’s achievements.”