Campbell to Lead Bluefield Cross Country, Track & Field Teams

BLUEFIELD, Va. – Olympic coach Cire Campbell is the new track and field, and cross-country head coach at Bluefield University. Campbell said several factors led him to accept the position at BU.

"I remember all the times, traveling around the world, the places I have been, the places I remember the most are the small towns," Campbell said. "I have been to France, been to Paris and it's beautiful. I love the Louvre. Paris is romantic but it was Brittany and Lyon that stood out to me. Even in Nigeria, Lagos was fun, but Abuja is what stood out, much smaller.

"When I considered going back into college coaching, the thing I considered was what was going to make me happy, a place I could win, but looking at my life I think I am more relaxed, more at peace in a smaller environment. So, Bluefield presented themselves to me and when I came up I said, 'Okay, I can see it.' It seems as though there is a desire to win, a desire for community, and then of course the Christian faith. It brings a certain type of lifestyle that I am already living. I just want to be in an environment where I can be my complete self and build a program."

Campbell is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and a product of the Quicksilver Track Club. Considered an expert in movement, Campbell has dedicated more than 34 years of his life to Sports Development. He has served as the Olympic coach for the 2012 Saudi Arabian Olympic team as well as most recently the head Olympic coach and Director of High Performance for Nigeria at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the sport of track and field.

From 2001 until 2008, Campbell served as the track coach at Georgia State University before he was promoted to the head track and field coach for men and women for the 2009 season at the GSU. As head coach he led the 2011 women's track and field team to their first conference championship in the CAA before resigning at the end of the 2011 season to pursue his dream of becoming an Olympian at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Campbell is currently the founder of TPA Training Academy in Atlanta, where he has been in the same position since 1998. With TPA, Cire has had the opportunity to work with some of the world's brightest stars such as Justin Gatlin, Milton Campbell, Danielle Carruthers, Kente Bell, Lisa Barber, Yusef Masrahi, and many more.

While serving as head coach for Saudi Arabia, the country saw a total dominance in the areas of sprints and hurdles at the 2011 Arab Games. This success proved to become common for Campbell as Nigeria experienced similar success at the 2015 All-African Games and had its best ever showing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Nigeria continued its success at the IAAF World Relays as Nigeria won bronze in the women's 4x400 meter relay at the 2014 championships and gold at the 2015 championships in the 4x200 meters.

Campbell performed collegiately at Howard and Morris Brown Universities.

Cire is the father of 3 beautiful daughters, Mariama (24), Olivia (18), and Sophia (14).

(Story provided by Bluefield Sports Information)