Kevin Ankrom has been appointed high performance director of Athletics New Zealand.

Ankrom comes from Hong Kong where he was department head for the Hong Kong Sports Institute international high performance elite training centre.

He also held the Hong Kong national track and field team head coach position since 2003.

Ankrom was previously based in the States where he was the head track and field coach and held cross country coach positions for the American university Valparaiso and more recently North Carolina Wilmington. Prior to that Ankrom served three years as assistant director and national team coach for athletics in Bahrain.

Ankrom, who takes up the appointment on 30 April after an eight month recruitment programme, replaces Eric Hollingsworth who departed in May last year.

Athletics New Zealand chief executiveScott Newman said that Ankrom's extensive network of international contacts throughout Asia, Europe and the USA as well as his 16 years of elite coaching and management experience will be an an asset to the sport.

"Kevin is ideally suited for the challenges involved in providing strategic direction and operational leadership for all aspects of Athletics New Zealand's high performance programme," said Newman.

"He will be working with athletes and coaches to maximise their talent and ensure they achieve excellence on the international stage. And provide depth to the athlete development pathways across all levels of the sport," he added.

Ankrom joins Athletics New Zealand at a time when the sport’s high performance programme is better resourced than ever before. As one of SPARC’s nine performance sports with a long term focus on success at the 2012 London Olympics, there is unprecedented support and opportunities for New Zealand’s elite athletes and coaches.