UK Athletics lose ‘new man’ Peter Eriksson

p65 28.02 File photo dated 13/08/2009 of Peter Eriksson. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday February 20, 2013. Head coach Peter Eriksson is confident he can deliver one of Great Britain's most successful European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg next month. See PA story ATHLETICS Great Britain. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Matt Majendie @mattmajendie15 May 2013

Peter Eriksson has announced he will step down as the head coach of UK Athletics just seven months after succeeding Charles van Commenee in the post.

The Swede (above) plans to return to Canada, where his family live, at the end of June bringing a premature end to the five-year deal he signed after a successful role as head coach for Britain’s Paralympic team.

Eriksson was handed his new job after his Paralympic athletes romped to 29 medals in London, 11 of which were gold.

He said: “Words cannot describe how disappointed I am to take this step. There is no bigger job in athletics in the world. At present, I have no plans but accept that, if I am to take any job in sport, it will be a step down.

“However, no job is more important than family and children, and personal circumstances mean that mine need me to be back in Canada.”