Skate Australia has appointed Mick Byrne as National Coach for the 2023 World Speed Skating Championships in Italy.

In his eighth appointment as Australian Coach, Mick Byrne will travel to Italy in August with a team of six junior and five senior skaters. Mick rejoins experienced skaters Harry Stogdale (VIC, senior) and Alex Myint (WA, senior) who last represented Australia at the 2019 World Roller Games, and experienced team manager Pauline Robertson (WA).

Experienced coach returns to the role

Mick is a six-time medallist at World Championships and represented Australia as an athlete on 16 occasions between 1995 and 2011. He has previously coached the Australian speed skating team to top-10 results at junior and senior World Championships, including at the 2019 World Roller Games when Daniel Greig won gold and set an unofficial World Record in the senior men’s 100-metre sprint.

Six of 11 athletes will contest their first World Championship

All three junior women will make their team debut in 2023. They are: Lahna Meadows (VIC), Leah Crisp (VIC) and Rhiannon Bryant (SA). Rhiannon follows her mum, Carly, and dad, Ricky Bryant, who both skated for Australia at World Championships.

Junior men Harry Geary (VIC) and Tyler Robertson (WA) both raced at the 2022 World Championship. Raiden Dolder (QLD) will compete at his first championship.

Senior woman Asha Hickford (WA) will skate her second championship as Australia’s sole senior female athlete named on the team.

Senior men Alex Myint (WA) and Harry Stogdale (VIC) both return to the team after the 2019 World Roller Games. Stogdale will be returning to an Italian World Championship 11 years after making his debut as a junior in 2012 where he claimed a top-10 result in his first outing. Daniel Bithell (VIC) and Joe Bennett (WA) are both making their debut.

As the coach, Mick brings 40 years’ experience in the sport as an athlete, coach, coaching coordinator and course presenter. Mick is an accredited Level 1 coach with World Skate Academy Level 1 Certification and coaches speed skating in Melbourne.