Non Stanford-Royle (GBR) a member of the AusTriathlon coaching Team has been elected as the new Chair of the World Triathlon Athletes Committee, while Australian elite athlete, Luke Willian has been elected as Vice Chair. Their appointments were confirmed after the Committee’s first meeting following the recent elections, marking a new era for athlete representation at the highest level in the sport. Both athletes will now serve as members of the World Triathlon Executive Board, which ensures that athlete voices are directly involved in all major decision-making processes for the sport worldwide.
The Athletes Committee plays a critical role in World Triathlon, acting as a bridge between athletes and the organization’s leadership. This integration guarantees that athletes’ perspectives, concerns, and ideas remain at the core of every initiative and policy.
Having Non Stanford-Royle and Luke Willian on the Executive Board reflects the federation’s ongoing commitment to athlete-centered governance and helps ensure a diversity of viewpoints representing both gender and continental balance. Since 2019, World Triathlon has two athlete representatives at the Executive Board, with the Constitution stating that it has to be one male and one female, and from two different continents.
Stanford was the World Triathlon world champion in 2013, 4th at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the 2022 European Champion, and retired from competition at the end of the 2022 season and is now working as a coach. Luke Willian is still an active elite triathlete, and finished this season in 7th place of the World Championships.
Reflecting on her new role, Non Stanford-Royle said: “It’s a huge honour to be chosen to lead the Athletes Committee, and I am determined to keep pushing for meaningful progress and championing the needs of all triathletes around the world.”
World Triathlon President Antonio Arimany added: “Having elite athletes like Non and Luke actively involved in our Executive Board is essential not only for shaping the present, but for securing the future of our sport. Their insight and dedication will help World Triathlon stay athlete-driven at every level.”
