Pfaff previously served as director of the Lee Valley High Performance Centre from 2009 to 2012 where he worked with the likes of long jump star Greg Rutherford, who took gold at the Olympic Games.

The American left the role after his contract ended with UK Athletics following London 2012 but he has now been appointed head up the World Athletics Centre, which was founded in 2008 as a training base for the world's top athletes.

"The World Athletics Centre aspires to be the most stable training and coaching environment in the world, while also being one of the most creative and free-thinking," said Pfaff.

"It is the ideal place for me to combine and convey everything I've learned in my career.

"I'm blessed to coach some of the best athletes in the world, proud that many of them have chosen to join me in Phoenix and pleased that in my new role at the World Athletics Centre I will be able to help develop some of the best coaches in the world, as well."


Pfaff has coached nine Olympic medallists and five world record-holders during a glittering 39-year career, including Canadian Donovan Bailey, winner of the Olympic 100 metres gold medal at Atlanta 1996.

Pfaff will now have responsibilities for elite athlete development, coach's mentorship and education curriculum development as well as human performance research and development at the World Athletics Centre.

"Coach Pfaff represents the highest level of coaching in our sport," said World Athletics Centre founder John Godina, a two-time Olympic medallist in the shot put.

"Over the course of his long career, he has demonstrated an innate ability to develop champion athletes and his record stands with the giants in athletics history."

Rutherford is now training at the World Athletics Centre with the coach while other high-profile athletes set to re-locate to Phoenix include Beijing 2008 Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker of Australia and British male and female pole vault national record-holders Steve Lewis and Holly Bleasdale.

"After having so much success with coach Pfaff, I knew I would follow him to prepare for the Rio 2016 Olympics," said Lewis.

"When I found out he was going to be working at the World Athletics Centre in Phoenix, it was an instant relief.

"Here I can work with the best coaches in the world; train with international training partners, and enjoy an amazing climate all year round."

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