London-based sports trust Greenwich Leisure (GLL) has appointed Mick Barlow as its new athletics development manager.

The 44-year-old will be responsible for helping the organisation plan and deliver a lasting legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games at its sport and leisure centres across the capital. Barlow, who has developed sport development initiatives for the London Youth Games and the London Active Partnership, will devise athletics programmes for people of all abilities in a bid to encourage increased participation.

An athlete with Kent, Tonbridge and Vets athletics clubs, Barlow will also see corporate strategy and disability provision form part of his brief in the run up to the 2012 Games. Barlow said: "GLL is committed to developing a sustainable legacy and to the continual improvement of athletics in London: the condition of facilities, the coaching structure and the importance of support mechanisms and partnerships.

"Now I find myself in a position that can really make a difference and with the 2012 Olympiad on the horizon, it's a fantastic opportunity."