Peter Eriksson (coach)
| Peter Eriksson | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 19, 1952 |
Peter Eriksson (born 19 November 1952) is an Athletics coach and formerly the Head Coach of the Olympic and Paralympic programs for both British Athletics and Athletics Canada. Eriksson has over 30 years of coaching experience in speed skating and track and field; and has led Canada to record medal performances in the 2016 Olympic Games, 2015 World Championships and 2014 Commonwealth Games. In addition to this has seen athletes in his programs win 122 medals at the Paralympic Games since 1984, this is all in addition to medals at World Championships and other major international events. Eriksson is the most successful Paralympic Track and Field coach in Paralympic history.
He has personally coached many athletes to international medals, including Jeff Adams, Kelly Smith, Rainer Kuschall, Heine Koboerle, Rick Reelie, Clayton Gerein (1964–2010), Christoph Etzlstorfer, Daniella Jutzeler (1967–1994), Håkan Eriksson, Bo Lindqvist, Jan-Owe Matsson, Tatyana McFadden, Chantal Petitclerc, Brent Lakatos, Hannah Cockroft, Shelly Woods. Eriksson is also a co-founder of the World Series for wheelchair racing, a series of international high caliber wheelchair racing events across the world 2003 to 2009.
He served as head coach of Britain's Paralympic team from 2009, where he lead the team to a 3rd position in the nations ranking, and then replaced Charles van Commenee as head coach of UK Athletics in 2012. He resigned from this position in 2013, and took the CTO/Head Coach position for Athletics Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic program.
Peter Eriksson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the only son of Eskil (a construction worker) and Ellen (a switchboard operator). He grew up in Bagarmossen, a suburb of the city of Stockholm, and from an early age he was instilled with a strong work ethic from his parents.
As a young man he was interested firstly in athletics, and competed in the sport of speed skating for 17 years (1963–1980). He participated in the Sprint World Championships in 1977 and 1979 with the best performance of 10th place in the 500 metre in 1977 World Championships. During his speed skating career he represented Södermals IK and Pollux speed skating clubs. From 1972 to 1983 he worked as a fireman on Östermalms Fire Station in Stockholm.
In 1980 Eriksson participated as an apprentice coach at the 1980 Olympic Games for the Swedish Track and Field Association. During these games Eriksson met Gusti Laurell, former Swedish National Coach, who became his mentor and has influenced him throughout his coaching career. In addition to Laurell, Herman Buuts, the former National Head Coach of Sweden and the Netherlands, helped him with summer training during his last two active years as a speed skater. Buuts has also had a tremendous impact on Eriksson’s coaching philosophy and interest in track and field throughout his career.
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