The IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 is given to Malcolm Brown and Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, coaches in the Olympic Canoe Slalom
Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi (France/Australia, canoe) and Malcolm Brown MBE (Great Britain, triathlon) have both been given the IOC’s Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award for 2022 in recognition of their exceptional guidance and support of Olympic competitors. Olympic fans can buy Olympic Canoe Slalom Tickets from our website.
In her 25 years as a coach, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi has helped her athletes win 12 world championships and four Olympic gold. Myriam contributed to the inclusion of women’s canoe slalom in the Olympic schedule and the achievement of gender parity in her sport. Malcolm Brown has devoted his life to coaching and enhancing the lives of others. He has coached racers to five triathlon Olympic gold.
IOC President Thomas Bach, who won a gold medal in fencing at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, stated: “The IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award is a celebration of the incredible dedication and contribution that the recipients have made to the athletes they have coached, both on and off the field of competition.
I am aware from personal experience of the significance of coaches to an athlete’s career. Both Myriam Fox-Jerusalemi and Malcolm Brown have made a significant impact on their respective sports and assisted in developing athletes into true athletes and role models.
Coaches are essential in assisting athletes in reaching their full potential and performing at their best, according to Sergi Bubka, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission (AEC) and a member of the jury that chose the winners.
They are not only leaders in respective sports disciplines, but they also serve as pillars of support and direction for athletes throughout their careers, both on and off the playing field. We are thrilled to be able to honour it with these prizes since the partnership between an athlete and their coach is essential to success and fulfilment.
Establishing a new route for female coaches and athletes
In the canoe slalom K1 event, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi competed for France at two Olympic Games, Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, winning bronze in the latter. She has now established a successful canoe slalom coaching career that has lasted more than 25 years.
Fox added, “I was initially really startled and extremely honored to have my work as a coach recognized on a global scale. “As a coach, I’m enthusiastic about my field and committed to seeing every one of our players succeed. This honour is incredibly unique since it not only recognizes my many years of service as a female coach in high-level sports, but also brings canoeing and Australia into the international Olympic limelight.
She expressed her gratitude to everyone who had helped her along the way. “This medal is the summit of sport achievement for coaches, and I’m incredibly proud,” she added.
Her daughter Jessica Fox, who took gold in the first-ever women’s canoe slalom C1 event at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, is one of the Australian athletes she has coached to success on the world stage. With nine world championships, one Olympic silver, two Olympic bronze, and one Olympic gold medal to her record, coupled with a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010, she became the best canoe slalom athlete of all time.
Jessica Fox said of Myriam, “She has always been a strong supporter for female athletes, gender equality, and the significance of creating excellent individuals before athletes. She is one of the few female instructors practicing in canoe slalom in Australia and around the world. Olympic fans can buy Olympic Games 2024 Tickets from our website.
She also participated in the advocacy for the inclusion of the women’s canoe event in the Olympic Games in order to establish gender equality in canoe slalom. One of the things that made Tokyo so unique was how amazing it was to share the first-ever Olympic gold medal for women’s canoe.
I’ve been fortunate to have her as a coach; she is unstoppable and inspires me with her enthusiasm for the game. I’m really thrilled to see her earn this award and be recognized in this way because I’m one of her athletes (and also because I’m her kid!).
Malcolm Brown, a key player in Great Britain triathlon, has guided competitors to five Olympic medals in the sport. These athletes include Jonathan Brownlee, Vicky Holland, and Alistair Brownlee, the only person with two Olympic crowns in the triathlon event.
Malcolm, a physical education teacher by profession, has consistently demonstrated his enthusiasm for and dedication to enhancing athletes’ lives. He started out coaching in his free time, primarily as a volunteer, and later turned to coaching professionally, first in triathlon and subsequently in athletics.
The IOC Lifetime Achievement Coaches Award is a tremendous honor, Malcolm stated. “My sincere thanks go to the International Olympic Committee for the Award, to Jonny Brownlee for the nomination, to my family for the many years of unwavering support, to many people and organizations who facilitated my coaching, and finally, to all the athletes who entrusted me with their sporting careers,” the athlete said.
“Success at the Olympics takes more than just training, talent, science, and technique. It necessitates faith and belief. It’s been an honor to have that trust. As it prepares to meet with our opponents and colleagues in Paris 2024, I’m happy to say that triathlon in the UK is still growing and in excellent form.
Brown, who served as UK Athletics’ former head endurance coach, had a significant impact on the development and modernization of the Leeds Triathlon Centre in the United Kingdom. The Brownlee brothers trained there, and Non Stanford has started working as a coach there since she retired after the 2022 European Triathlon Championships. The center increased from having three athletes to approximately 100 when Brown was in charge.
Jonathan Brownlee, who won Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medals while studying under Malc Brown, said, “I nominated Malc because he has had the largest influence on my career, and I think there will be a lot of individuals who would say the same.
“When I first started going to the track at 14, Malcolm was always there until 2016.” (When I was 26). The finest part about Malcolm was that he changed with me as I grew older and developed during that time; his manner evolved along with his comprehension of the triathlon’s ever-evolving requirements.
“Those early years when Malc coached from the side of the track while still wearing his business uniform are something I will never forget. With an umbrella in one hand and a stopwatch in the other. When I needed advice, Malc was always there to provide it. After talking to him for a half-hour, I felt like I could win any race! I’m thrilled that he is receiving this honor; he deserves it!
The IOC Lifetime Achievement Awards for Coaches
The IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards, administered by the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission, honor two coaches—one male and one female—for their accomplishments and dedication to the Olympic values. Olympic athletes, international federations, national Olympic committees, IOC members, and members of the IOC Athletes’ or Athletes’ Entourage Commissions can nominate candidates.
IOC President Thomas Bach appoints a jury, which consists of Sergi Bubka, IOC AEC Chair, Daina Gudzineviciute, David Haggerty, Emma Terho, IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC) Chair, and Hong Zhang, to choose the winners (IOC AC Member).
Previous winners of the competition, which was first introduced in 2017, include:
2017: Jon Urbanchek and Kaneko Masako (both of Japan’s synchronized swimming) (USA, swimming)
Katalin Rozsnyi in 2018 (Hungary, canoeing) Theodore Schmid (Austria, skeleton)
2019 will feature Ulla Koch (artistic gymnastics, Germany) and Malcolm Arnold (Great Britain, athletics).
The COVID-19 epidemic prevented any awards from being presented in 2020 and 2021.
Gender equality is being promoted through the WISH programed.
Only 10% of accredited coaches at the Olympic Summer and Winter Games over the previous ten years have been women, despite the accomplishments and importance of female coaches like Fox-Jerusalmi. Even though the percentage increased to 13% in Tokyo 2020, the numbers are still relatively low.
The Women in Sport High Performance Pathway project was started by the IOC in response to their recognition of the need to expand possibilities for female coaches (WISH). The University of Hertfordshire in Great Britain has collaborated on the development of the WISH Programmed, which aims to assist female coaches who have already shown promise and ambition in securing crucial positions at the pinnacle of their sport.
Olympic Solidarity will operate four cohorts of the WISH Program during the current quadrennial and will invest USD 1 million in it. More than 100 female coaches will gain from this, giving them the foundation for a successful coaching career in professional sport.
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