John Lunt has been appointed as the competition manager for triathlon for the 2012 Olympics, it was announced today. Lunt will be responsible for all the planning, organisation and management of the Olympic triathlon event at the Games, which takes place in Hyde Park.

Lunt said: “It is a fantastic honour to have been selected for this position. To be involved in the London 2012 Games must be the pinnacle of any race organiser’s career and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

"Having lived in London for the past 25 years, I will be very proud to bring this colourful, dynamic and exciting sport to the heart of London. The triathlon will be one of the highlights of the Games, showcasing some of the most famous and historic landmarks of the capital, along with some of the finest athletes in the world.”

Dr Sarah Springman OBE, President of the British Triathlon Federation, said: “John Lunt has been a major contributor to triathlon since its inception in England/Great Britain in the early eighties. Initially as a triathlete, and later as a race organiser, he has initiated and developed many multisport events, winning British Triathlon's 'Event of the Year' accolade so many times that he was allowed to keep the trophy!

"British Triathlon is delighted that the organiser of the hugely successful Commonwealth Games triathlon will be responsible for the Olympic Triathlon Competitions. It will be a marvelous opportunity to showcase the sport of triathlon and the city of London to the world and to continue to promote the current dynamic growth at home, and worldwide.”

David Luckes, head of sport competition at London 2012, said: “I am delighted that John is joining us. He has a wealth of triathlon event experience, and has the knowledge and enthusiasm to make the triathlon event in Hyde Park a spectacular success in London in 2012.”

Les McDonald, president of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), said: “John is a friend of the ITU family. I look forward to John’s presence in China this year at the Changping Reservoir, with the Great Wall of China overlooking the triathletes, the officials, spectators and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) family for the Olympic triathlon event. John will learn lots more about the Olympic Dream for Triathlon. He has organised many events in England, and has already trod every inch of Hyde Park , the London 2012 Olympic course.”

Lunt's key responsibilities include the overseeing of all aspects of the Triathlon competition and to be the focal point for liaison with the ITU. He will ensure that the competition is organised in accordance with international rules, the IOC Charter and the Host City Contract. Lunt will liaise with other functional areas to ensure the coordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, venue operations, medical service and volunteers.

Lunt will travel to the Beijing Olympic Games to see what lessons can be learned from the triathlon event there and will initially take up his position on a part-time basis, becoming full time in 2010.

Lunt is an accomplished triathlon organiser with over 20 years’ experience. A regular triathlete and marathon runner himself, Lunt previously worked as competition manager for the Commonwealth Games triathlon in Manchester in 2002. Following this, he has been race director of the five highly successful Salford ITU World Cup triathlons, the only World Cup triathlons staged in the UK.

He is currently the president of British Triathlon’s London Regional Committee. A qualified international technical official (ITO), Lunt keeps himself familiar with ITU current best practice by working as a volunteer at ITU Triathlon World Cups and Triathlon World Championships. He also worked as an ITO at the 2006 Commonwealth Games triathlon in Melbourne, Australia , and at the test event for the 2006 Asian Games Triathlon in Doha.

Lunt began his career in local authority leisure management and in 1990 he founded Human Race Events Ltd. Since then, his team has been organising over 15 multi-sport events each year, including triathlons, duathlons and single-discipline races.