In an incredible achievement, Toowoomba Grammar School Athletics Coach, Mrs Jackie Gallagher is on track for Olympic coaching glory.

Jackie is one of only 25 women worldwide, and the only Australian to be selected for a leadership program in preparation for Olympic and International team management.

Jackie was nominated for the 21-month program by Athletics Australia and endorsed by World Athletics and the IOC. It follows her selection for the prestigious Women in Sport High Performance Pathway Program, which is hosted and funded by the International Olympic Committee & World Athletics and will be held in the UK in August.

It is a massive year for the Toowoomba coach; she is travelling to China in July for three weeks as an Australian Sprints and Relay Team Coach at the World University Championships.

Jackie is also involved with two Australian High Performance Coach Programs funded by Athletics Australia:

Athletics Australia Women in High Performance Coaching Program. Twelve female athletics coaches from around Australia, who coach Australian representative athletes, are brought together to collaborate. They receive leadership mentoring and workshops on navigating the climate of high-performance sport and meet a few times a year in Melbourne or Canberra.

Athletics Australia High-Performance Coach Mentoring Program. In this program, Jackie is assigned to mentors who have been in high-performance athletics for decades. These mentors have had many international representatives/ medalists, been in managerial positions in the sport and are incredibly knowledgeable around developing the high-performance athlete and navigating the political landscape of the sport.

Jackie is also on the Athletics Australia Sprints and Relays Advisory Panel. These panels are to be established to provide input into the Athletics Australia High Performance department and throughout the high-performance community of the event group. This appointment will be through to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Jackie is also a Queensland Academy of Sport supported coach of categorised athlete (NASS Athlete). This means she has an athlete (National Champion sprinter, Jai Gordon) who has been recognised to be highly likely/ on track for selection in Australian Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games Teams. Therefore, Jackie is offered support such as, bio-mechanist data, coach well-being, travel funding, high-performance workshops, one on one meetings, and support from all the sport scientists and medical teams.

Jackie manages all of this while coaching our TGS track and field and cross country athletes, and teaching English to our Senior School students. TGS is very proud of Jackie’s dedication and success and we look forward to supporting her future ambitions.