National governing body USAT Triathlon (USAT) has confirmed that four individuals will join the US team as part of the elite coaching and support staff next week in London for the 2013 ITU World Age Group Championships and PruHealth World Triathlon Grand Final London 2013.
Coaches Kathleen Johnston and Greg Mueller, as well as bike mechanic Brian Hughes and massage therapist Beata Komlo will serve in support roles for Elite, Junior and Under-23 athletes during the championship events in London, which will be held on 11-15 September at Hyde Park.
These individuals specialize in multisport and have also contributed to the US team at a number of other international competitions.
“Kathleen, Greg, Brian and Beata have been key contributors to our high performance athletes and are a fitting edition to our support staff as these athletes pursue medals in London,” said Andy Schmitz, USA Triathlon’s High Performance General Manager. “These four individuals will play distinct roles in facilitating the team preparatory camp and team activities on race weekend.”
Kathleen Johnston (Nashville, Tennessee), a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach, will serve as the head coach for the six-member Junior squad. Recently, Johnston was the coach for the US team at the 2013 Brazil PATCO Junior Championships, where Americans earned top spots on the podium. Johnston has also coached up-and-coming athletes at the USA Triathlon Junior Elite Women’s Camp and Collegiate Recruitment Camp.
Greg Mueller (South Bend, Indiana) is a USA Triathlon Level III Certified Coach and ITU Level II Competitive Coach who will serve as the head coach for the U23 team. He is the owner and head coach of Innovative Endurance and was the lead coach for the USA Triathlon European Camps in 2012 and 2013. Mueller has also coached athletes at the 2012 ITU Junior World Championships and the Edmonton World Cup.
Brian Hughes (Middleboro, Massachusetts) is a professional bike mechanic who owns and operates a triathlon shop in Newton, Massachusetts. Hughes has acted as the team mechanic for the US at the 2012 FISU World University Games and the 2013 PATCO Championships. A cyclist himself, Hughes has competed in national and world championship multisport events.
A massage therapist since 2010, Beata Komlo (Tiszaújváros, Hungary) has worked with athletes in a number of different sports, including cycling, rugby and rowing, with a specialization in triathlon. She has been the lead massage therapist for the US team in 2013, covering most World Triathlon Series and World Cup events on the ITU calendar.
Members of the USA Triathlon staff will also be part of the elite support team in London. Andy Schmitz will be the US Team Leader, while Jonathan Hall acts as the Performance Advisor and Courtney Kulick assists the athletes as Team Manager.
Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon is the National Governing Body for triathlon – the fastest growing sport in the US Olympic Movement – as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States.
USAT sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with more than 630,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches and race directors at the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
