Pierce O’Callaghan has been appointed by World Athletics as head of competition management, it has been announced by the international governing body as they completed the restructuring of its calendar.
The one-day series of the world’s best cross country, combined events and race walking meetings will all move to a three-tier World Tour format from next month.
The World Athletics Cross Country Tour, Combined Events Tour and Race Walking Tour will replace the existing challenge and permit series with a more global spread of fixtures.
O’Callaghan has played a key role in restructuring the annual athletics calendar, working as a consultant on the Continental Tour, expand the World Athletics Indoor Tour and leading the Global Calendar Unit.
The Irishman has also worked as an international race walking referee at four World Championships and four Olympic Games.
He was director of operations for the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London and director of readiness for the 2019 event in Doha.
The 45-year-old O’Callaghan was also the director of sport at the inaugural European Games in Baku in 2015.
He will be assisted by Luca Verrascina, who has joined World Athletics as competition manager after serving as a technical delegate or international technical official at several World Athletics Series events.
To both of them congratulations from Marcia dal Mondo and best wishes for the next job.