Tudor Bidder

Athletics Australia High Performance Coach Mentor

High Performance Sprints, Relays, and High Jump Coach – Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

"Sharing stories and lessons to guide the next generation of high-performance coaches."

1. Why You Want to Be Involved in the Mentoring Program

I have benefited from mentoring and advice throughout my coaching journey. Being able to have frank and confidential conversations with trusted mentors has been invaluable to me. I aim to play this role for other coaches and repay the sport that has given me so many opportunities and taken me and my family around the world.

2. What You Can Offer the Mentees

Experience is a collection of successes and lessons learned from mistakes. I can offer mentees stories of my experiences to help them distill valuable lessons. I do not offer direct answers to questions but aim to provide the pieces of the puzzle so mentees can discover their own solutions. I approach mentoring as a storyteller, sharing insights similar to Aesop's Fables – each with lessons embedded within.

3. What You Would Like to Gain from Participating in the Program

My primary goal is to give back to the sport that has provided me with incredible experiences. Additionally, I aim to help mentees avoid the pitfalls I encountered early in my career. I gain intrinsic satisfaction from helping others and sharing insights, particularly in the realm of high-performance coaching, international championships, and European meets.

Biopic

• Born: 12 February 1957, Welsh/Australian
• Married with two grown-up children (36 and 32) and one grandson (12 years old)
• Level 5 / High Performance Coach Award (Sprint/Hurdles/Relays, High Jump)
• Hobbies: Family, overseas holidays, home improvements, single-person shooter games (PS5)
• Little known fact: Wrote comedy sketches, one of which was used by 'The Two Ronnies' on UK TV

Key Coaching Achievements

• Attended 7 Olympic Games with three nations (Oman, Great Britain, Australia)
• Prepared athletes for 10 Olympic Games, including advisory roles to other sports
• Coached athletes to gold medals and finals across the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and other international events
• First athlete coached reached 8th place at the 1986 Commonwealth Games (Women's 400m Hurdles)

National and International Team Experience

• National Coaching Director and Head Coach, Sultanate of Oman (1986–1990)
• AIS de-centralised coach at WAIS (Perth, 1990–1997)
• Technical Director of Jumps and Combined Events, UK Athletics (1997–2001)
• UKA Head of Potential Program and National System Manager (2001–2003)
• High Performance Manager, Athletics Australia (2003–2005)
• AIS Head Coach/Performance Manager (2005–2013)
• AIS Sport Performance Manager/Senior Performance Consultant (2013–2021)

Mentoring Experience

• Mentored coaches in formal and informal settings since 1990
• Supported senior coaches in Australia and over 10 other countries
• Mentor with Athletics Australia Coach Development Section (2021–present)
• Mentor with the Australian Institute of Sport (2023) and World Athletics (2024)

Key Areas of Interest

• National performance strategy and planning
• Planning training and event preparation
• High Jump, 400m Hurdles, 110m Hurdles, Sprints, and Relays
• Plyometrics and bounding exercises
• Coaching the individual athlete
• Organising and delivering international championships and tours
• Running athletics camps in Europe
• Briefing and debriefing processes
• Performance monitoring

Mentor Profile: Robert Tudor Bidder | Athletics Australia