Gary West (8 June 1960 – 20 August 2017) was an Australian Olympic cyclist and track cycling coach.

Gary West
Australian Institute of Sport Track Cycling Coach Gary West with Olympic Champion Anna Meares in 2013
Personal information
Born(1960-06-08)8 June 1960
Mildura, Victoria[1]
Died20 August 2017(2017-08-20) (aged 57)
Adelaide, South Australia
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Men's track cycling
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1982 Brisbane Men's team pursuit

He competed in the points race event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[2] He was also an alternate on the gold medal-winning team pursuit squad at the 1984 Games.[3] At the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, West won a gold medal as a member of the men's team pursuit.[1]

West had an extensive track cycling coaching career. He worked for the Japan Cycling Federation and the United States Cycling Federation.[3] In 2006, West was appointed Head Cycling Coach at South Australian Sports Institute.[3] In 2008, he was appointed National Head Track Sprint Cycling Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Adelaide.[3] He coached Anna Meares to gold and bronze medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics respectively.[3] In October 2016, West stepped down from his national coaching role whilst he battled motor neurone disease.[4]

West was a track sprint coach for Australia at the 1998, 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.[1] In 2016, he was awarded AIS Best of the Best at the Australian Institute of Sport Performance Awards.[5]

West died on 20 August 2017 in Adelaide from motor neurone disease, age 57.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Gary West". Australian Commonwealth Games website. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Gary West Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e "High Performance Unit Senior Masnagement". Cycling Australia website. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Gary West has stepped down as Cycling Australia's head track sprint coach while he battles Motor Neurone Disease". SBS website. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Chalmers claims two AIS awards to complete fairy tale year". Australian Sports Commission website. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  6. ^ Gary West, Australian cycling coach dies at age 57 after battle with motor neurone disease
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