Hollingsworth to leave Athletics NZ

High-profile Athletics New Zealand (ANZ) performance director Eric Hollingsworth is leaving the role to return to Australia.

Hollingsworth will depart for Melbourne at the end of this month to attend to the needs of his family there, according to an ANZ press release today.

His departure will be a heavy loss, chief executive Jeremy Kennerley said.

"The professional and objective approach that he has brought to the performance programme must be his legacy and will be continued," Kennerley said.

"In his brief time with the association, Eric has made a significant contribution to a cultural change surrounding every aspect of the high performance, from selection through to individual athlete performance."

Hollingsworth, who was head coach of track and field at the Victorian Institute of Sport, has seen out just one year of a three-year contract,

A former Great Britain representative decathlete, Hollingsworth impressed as a hard-line selector, setting high standards for athletes.

He oversaw a successful Commonwealth Games campaign at Melbourne in March, where New Zealand won gold medals through shot putter Valerie Vili and 1500m runner Nick Willis.

Meanwhile, in another change at the top of ANZ, Stephen Underwood will replace Craig Purdy as chairman, it was announced today.

Purdy has stepped down after six years on the ANZ Board, three as chairman. He will remain on the Board until the annual meeting in July before leaving for personal reasons.

Underwood said he hoped to continue the work of his predecessor.

"Craig's contribution and commitment to the sport over the last six years has been enormous and he has been directly responsible for much of the cultural and operational change management achieved by the organisation," Underwood said.

- NZPA