By Duncan Mackay

Jack Buckner has been appointed the new chief executive of British Triathlon ©LinkedinFormer European 5,000 metres champion Jack Buckner has been appointed the new chief executive of the British Triathlon, it has been announced.


He is replacing Zara Hyde Peters, who is stepping down after six years in charge following a period of unparalleled success during which Alistair Brownlee won the Olympic gold medal at London 2012 with his brother Jonathan claiming the bronze. 

Buckner, 52, will join British Triathlon from Sport England, where he has worked for the last five years as strategic lead in the National Governing Body team and most recently led on market development for the organisation.

He previously worked for Adidas in a range of roles in the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, where he was marketing director. 

Buckner's is due to start his new job on August 11.

It will mark a role to Loughborough, where he studied at the University and read geography, and where British Triathlon are based. 

"I am delighted to be appointed the new CEO of British Triathlon," said Buckner.  

"Triathlon is an exciting and innovative sport, and British Triathlon under Zara Hyde Peters' leadership has led the sport from the front in recent years.  

"British Triathlon is a consistently high-performing National Governing Body in all areas and I'm looking forward to continuing this work.  

"I have been impressed by the culture within British Triathlon, the Home Nations and across the sport and intend to keep up the good work and support the spirit of collaboration that exists within the triathlon community."

Jack Buckner celebrates winning the 5,000 metres at the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart ©Getty ImagesJack Buckner celebrates winning the 5,000 metres at the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart ©Getty Images

Buckner represented Britain in two Olympics, at Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992, but his greatest achievement was winning the 5,000m at the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart when he ran 13min 10.15sec. 

"We are delighted that triathlon has attracted such a high calibre individual to lead our sport," said Ian Howard, President of British Triathlon.

"We believe Jack's unique credentials which include Olympic representation, a strong commercial background and an understanding of the sporting landscape in the UK at both British and Home Nation level will help him lead our dynamic and highly aspirational sport to Rio [2016] and beyond."

Under Hyde Peters, like Buckner a former international distance runner, British Triathlon had twice won UK Governing Body of the Year.

"It is a hard decision to step away from this role and this sport," she said.

"The last six years have been some of the most enjoyable of my working life.  

"But one of our organisation values is embracing change, something I am putting into practice with a move to a new leadership challenge through joining the NHS Executive Fast Track programme, part of the NHS's drive for innovation, to bring fresh ideas, perspective and thinking into positions in the health service, and to work alongside the talented leaders who are already working in the NHS.

"Triathlon is a young sport and is still developing, so I look forward to watching the further growth and success of the sport."

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