8 Influential Track and Field Leaders in Melbourne

Last updated: August 2026

Melbourne's athletics community is shaped by more than the athletes who race, jump and throw. It also depends on the people who lead the national and state bodies, build junior pathways, guide high performance programmes and keep clubs welcoming.

This directory introduces eight people whose current work connects closely with athletics and track and field in Melbourne. It is a recognition directory, not a ranking. The names are presented alphabetically for easy navigation, with each entry focused on a current role and a useful piece of context.

Why athletics leadership matters in Melbourne

Melbourne is a particularly useful place to understand Australian athletics because Australian Athletics, Athletics Victoria and Little Athletics Victoria all have important work connected with Athletics House and Albert Park. The national body's 2026 unification information says its team works from a single Melbourne office, while the state and junior bodies connect that national system to clubs, centres, coaches and families.

The result is a layered sport. National strategy, state delivery, junior development, high performance, club leadership and coaching all need to work together if athletes are going to find a clear pathway and a good experience.

Alessandro Bisetto

President, Melbourne University Athletics Club

Alessandro Bisetto is President of Melbourne University Athletics Club and a Melbourne-based high performance jumps coach. The Australian Athletics mentor profile links his work with the university club and the wider coach development system. Read his current mentor profile.

His value to the sport sits across several layers: club leadership, technical coaching and the transfer of experience to other coaches. That combination is a reminder that athletics leadership is not limited to paid executive roles.

Andrew Faichney

General Manager, High Performance, Australian Athletics

Andrew Faichney is General Manager, High Performance at Australian Athletics. The current senior leadership page says he leads the national high performance programme and previously managed the Australian Paralympic athletics programme to the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games. Read the Australian Athletics leadership page.

He also worked as Athletics Competition Manager for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. His role shows how Melbourne-based administration connects to athletes and teams competing nationally and internationally.

Anthony McIntosh

Chief Executive Officer, Little Athletics Victoria

Anthony McIntosh is Chief Executive Officer and Public Officer of Little Athletics Victoria. The current staff page describes a role spanning sponsorship, governance, special events, promotion and association administration. Read the Little Athletics Victoria staff page.

That breadth matters because junior athletics depends on more than competition. It needs safe systems, good relationships with centres, clear communication and enough organisational strength to help volunteers deliver a consistent experience.

Justin Rinaldi

Head Coach, Fast8 Track Club

Justin Rinaldi is the Melbourne-based head coach of Fast8 Track Club and a specialist in middle-distance coaching. Australian Athletics' current coaching education material presents his 800-metre approach as a balance of speed, endurance, race-section detail and individualisation. Read his coaching profile.

His example is useful beyond the 800 metres. Strong coaching leadership often comes from a small number of clear principles that can be adapted to the athlete, rather than from a rigid formula applied to everyone.

Matthew Duck

Chief Executive Officer, Athletics Victoria

Matthew Duck is Chief Executive Officer of Athletics Victoria, the state governing body based at Athletics House in Albert Park. The current staff page confirms his role, while the appointment announcement describes his previous senior sport leadership experience. Read the Athletics Victoria staff page. Read the appointment announcement.

State leadership is where strategy becomes delivery. Athletics Victoria's work touches clubs, events, officials, coaches, state teams and the practical systems that make participation possible across the state.

Myles Foreman

CEO, Coles Little Athletics

Myles Foreman is CEO and Company Secretary of Little Athletics Australia, now operating within the unified Australian Athletics structure as Coles Little Athletics. The current senior leadership page records his role and his experience across community sport, racing, technology and major event operations. Read the Australian Athletics leadership page. Read the unification information.

His work matters to Melbourne because the unified national team is working from a single office in the city while connecting junior athletics to the broader sport. It is a practical example of how organisational change can affect pathways on the ground.

Simon Hollingsworth

Chief Executive Officer, Australian Athletics

Simon Hollingsworth is CEO of Australian Athletics. The current senior leadership page identifies him as a dual Australian Olympian in the 400-metre hurdles and the first Olympic track and field athlete to hold the national CEO role. Read the current leadership page.

The role carries responsibility for the national direction of the sport. His path from athlete to executive also illustrates why good sports leadership benefits from people who understand both performance environments and the wider governance system.

Steve Moneghetti

Director, Australian Athletics

Steve Moneghetti is a Director on the Australian Athletics Board and a Life Member of Athletics Victoria. The current board page records his four Olympic appearances, his 1990 Berlin Marathon win and his long involvement in Australian sport governance. Read the current board profile.

Board leadership is different from day-to-day management, but it still shapes the conditions in which the sport operates. Steve's experience brings athlete perspective, marathon experience and a long view of how Victorian and national athletics can work together.

What these leaders show us about Melbourne athletics

The first lesson is that athletics leadership is a system. National executives, state managers, junior administrators, coaches, club presidents and board members each carry a different part of the work.

The second lesson is that pathways are built through connection. A promising athlete needs more than a good training session. They need safe participation, capable coaching, fair competition, clear administration and leaders who can keep the whole system moving in the same direction.

The third lesson is that leadership quality is often visible in the ordinary details. A well-run event, a useful coaching resource, a clear centre process and a thoughtful high performance plan may not look dramatic, but they make the sport easier to enter and easier to stay in.

How to use this list

If you are involved in athletics, use the list as a starting point for understanding the roles around your own. Read the linked pages, notice which part of the system each person serves and identify the relationship your club, squad or centre needs next.

If you are outside athletics, the same principle applies to any sporting or community organisation. Sustainable progress depends on people who can connect strategy, delivery, governance and day-to-day practice.

Frequently asked questions

Who leads athletics and track and field in Melbourne?

Athletics and track and field in Melbourne are shaped by leaders across Australian Athletics, Athletics Victoria, Little Athletics Victoria, clubs, coaching groups and athlete advisory structures. This directory focuses on eight current people whose roles connect directly with governance, high performance, junior pathways, club leadership or coaching.

Why is Melbourne significant for Australian athletics?

Melbourne is home to important national, state and junior athletics operations, including work connected with Athletics House and Albert Park. That concentration makes the city a useful centre for understanding how national and local athletics systems connect.

How can a club or athlete connect with these leaders?

Start with the relevant organisation's official contact route, then explain the practical issue clearly. A short written note that names the problem, the people affected and the decision needed is easier to respond to than a broad request for help.

What makes a good athletics leader?

A good athletics leader combines clear responsibility with real attention to athletes, coaches, officials, families and volunteers. Sound judgement, communication, fairness and the ability to connect different parts of the system all matter.

Conclusion

Athletics and track and field in Melbourne have leaders working at several levels, from national governance to junior development, specialist coaching and club life. That range is a strength because no single role can carry the whole sport.

Use this list as a practical starting point rather than a final answer. Read the linked role descriptions, follow the organisations that matter to your part of athletics and look for one small way to strengthen the connection between leadership and participation.

Related reading

For wider leadership practice, read the Working Genius FAQ, the guide to strategy and leadership consulting and facilitated team offsites.

If your leadership team needs a clear written plan for better alignment, decision-making or communication, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

About the author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.