Jack Buckner will leave his role as chief executive at British Swimming later this year to become the new CEO at UK Athletics.
British Swimming confirmed the reports that emerged on Thursday morning with Buckner describing his five years at the helm of the aquatics governing body as “a wonderful adventure”.
Buckner’s move from British Triathlon to replace David Sparkes at British Swimming was announced in May 2017 with his five-year tenure culminating in the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021 where the team won eight medals of which four were gold as well as 26 medals at the Paralympic Games.
Weeks after Buckner joined the governing body, the team won seven medals at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest which they replicated in Gwangju two years later.
There were 24 medals at the 2018 European Championships while they headed the medal table at last year’s continental showcase in Budapest with 11 golds among an overall haul of 26.
A press release read:
“Throughout his time at British Swimming, Buckner has also overseen greater collaboration across our core disciplines and helped work on numerous adaptations, in both performance and organisational aspects, in the midst of the COVID pandemic.”
He will join up with UK Athletics – for whom he won World and European Championship medals as a middle-distance runner in the 1980s, as well as competing at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games – later in 2022.
Buckner said:
“The last five years have been a wonderful adventure with British Swimming. It’s been a tremendous privilege to work with so many great athletes and colleagues across the aquatics world.
“The resilience and determination shown over the pandemic was extraordinary. I’ll never forget the stunning results in Tokyo. Thank you for all the support from the British Swimming board and every single person I have met poolside.
“I wish everyone connected with British Swimming all the best for the future, and I cannot wait to see our athletes, staff and teams go from strength to strength in the lead-up to Paris 2024 and beyond.
“Before then, though, I look forward to seeing many people at next week’s British Swimming Championships and helping our aquatic disciplines build towards a busy summer, including June’s double of World Aquatics Championships and Para Swimming World Championships.
“I’m equally excited to continue my sporting journey at UKA, where I know there are so many great people doing amazing things in Olympic and Paralympic sport.
“Many thanks to UKA for giving me this opportunity. Athletics has been a huge part of my life since I was a teenager, and I can’t wait to be trackside later in the year.”
British Swimming Interim Chairman Adele Stach-Kevitz said:
“Jack’s time as British Swimming CEO has been hugely successful, both for him personally, as well as with our performance teams – and there have been some fantastic aquatics moments to remember.
“It will be a sad juncture when Jack departs British Swimming, but he leaves behind an experienced team who, alongside the board, will now work with him to manage the transition until a new CEO is appointed.
“We wish Jack all the very best when he takes up his new role with UK Athletics and look forward to welcoming him poolside when his athletics schedule allows!”