Gary West (cyclist) explained

Gary West
Birth Date:8 June 1960
Birth Place:Mildura, Victoria
Death Place:Adelaide, South Australia

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

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

West had an extensive track cycling coaching career. He worked for the Japan Cycling Federation and the United States Cycling Federation.[2] In 2006, West was appointed Head Cycling Coach at South Australian Sports Institute.[2] In 2008, he was appointed National Head Track Sprint Cycling Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Adelaide.[2] He coached Anna Meares to gold and bronze medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics respectively.[2] 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.[3] 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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gary West Olympic Results . 4 June 2015 . Sports Reference . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150912062704/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/we/gary-west-1.html . 12 September 2015 . dmy .
  2. Web site: High Performance Unit Senior Masnagement. Cycling Australia website. 14 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20171024223620/http://www.cycling.org.au/High-Performance/HPU-Staff. 24 October 2017. dead.
  3. Web site: Gary West. Australian Commonwealth Games website. 14 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160319060512/http://commonwealthgames.com.au/results/person/729.htm. 19 March 2016. dead.
  4. Web site: Gary West has stepped down as Cycling Australia's head track sprint coach while he battles Motor Neurone Disease.. SBS website. 14 December 2016.
  5. Web site: Chalmers claims two AIS awards to complete fairy tale year. Australian Sports Commission website. 14 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20180420102209/http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/story_654127_chalmers_claims_two_ais_awards. 20 April 2018. dead.
  6. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/gary-west-former-australian-cycling-coach-dies-at-age-57-after-battle-with-motor-neurone-disease/news-story/cfeb7190dba13eaac7a24c56e65c9cd4 Gary West, Australian cycling coach dies at age 57 after battle with motor neurone disease