Craig Pickering: Developing Elite Sprint Relay Teams and High Performance Systems

Craig Pickering – former Olympic sprinter, Winter Olympian in bobsleigh, sport scientist, and now Director of Performance Sustainability at Athletics Australia – joins the show to unpack what it takes to build a world-class sprint and relay system. He shares insights on athlete transitions, skill acquisition, and the systems driving Australia’s sprint resurgence.

We explore his journey from elite athlete to high-performance leader, how Australia has built depth and buy-in across its relay program, and why “training in chaos” has become central to his coaching philosophy. Craig also speaks on data-driven decision making, performance support, and the innovation shaping the next era of Australian athletics.

Topics:

• 0:02 – Craig’s journey from elite athlete to high-performance leader
• 5:25 – Injury setbacks, transitions, and entering the sport science world
• 9:27 – Moving to Australia & shaping Athletics Australia’s performance pathway
• 10:39 – Why Australian men’s sprinting is rising
• 13:51 – Building relay culture, buy-in, and structuring effective camps
• 24:10 – Relay coaching philosophy & the value of training under chaos
• 35:17 – Skill acquisition, decision-making & performance under pressure
• 40:50 – The evolving role of the modern coach and performance support
• 51:28 – Pathways Transition Program & developing future athletes
• 52:52 – Research, innovation & the next frontier for Australian athletics