Paddle UK is delighted to announce the appointment of Hannah Brown as Canoe Sprint Podium Coach.
Having worked as an analyst in conjunction with her own international racing career, Hannah was appointed as paracanoe podium coach in March 2022. Since then, the athletes she has coached have won over 20 international medals, four at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, including Charlotte Henshaw MBEs historic double gold.
Hannah, a former world-class sprint kayaker and wild water racing world champion, brings a wealth of paddling experience and has applied the same attributes and skill of delivery which got her to the top of international podiums as an athlete to successfully progress in her coaching career.
She said: ”I feel incredibly privileged to have been successfully appointed to this role.
“I am confident that my experiences as an athlete and more recently as a coach have shaped a coaching style, a depth of knowledge and a way of working that can shift the direction of sprint canoeing within the UK, something that is incredibly close to my heart.
“I am excited to share my vision and I’m excited by the challenge of the role, helping to shape the future of the canoe sprint programme, and working alongside Anton and Sam, the athletes on the pathway and with the passionate coaches and paddlers in our clubs.
“I must thank the group of athletes and staff within the British paracanoe team that have helped develop me and given me so much over this past cycle, without them I would not be the coach I am today.”
Hannah’s appointment was made following a competitive recruitment process which saw applications from across the world. The panel included representatives from the sprint racing committee, Paddle UK and UK Sport.
Chris Furber, Performance Director for paracanoe and canoe sprint, said:
“After a robust recruitment process I am delighted that Hannah has accepted the role.
“Hannah was outstanding in the work she did over the Paris cycle with the Paralympic team and was a key element to their successful Games.
“To have been able to support Hannah’s development, from a paddler to one of the best young coaches in the world, is an achievement for the organisation and I know she will continue to push her own development within this new role.
“Hannah has always seen it as a priority to support the wider development of paddlesport, whether it be through delivering coaching qualifications or her work with the sprint and wildwater racing committees.
“Within our strategy, growing the connection with the community is critical and Hannah has consistently demonstrated her commitment to support this”.
Hannah will begin her new role in April and the recruitment process for a paracanoe podium coach will open shortly.