Athletics Canada fires top two coaches on heels of disappointing London Games

OTTAWA – Athletics Canada has fired its two top coaches.

Head coach Alex Gardiner and chief high performance officer Martin Goulet have been let go by track and field’s national governing body.

Athletics Canada’s CEO Rob Guy says the decision was made based on the team’s disappointing performance at last summer’s London Olympics.

Canada had set a target of three athletics medals in London, but came away with just one — Derek Drouin’s bronze in high jump.

Gardiner, a Winnipeg native, was Canada’s head coach at the 2004 Athens Olympics then left Athletics Canada to work for the Canadian Olympic Committee. He returned to Athletics Canada in 2008.

Guy says he hopes to have a new head coach in place by mid-March.