Photo courtesy Own the Podium

Alex Baumann, a well-known Canadian aquatic athlete, has assumed the role of interim CEO of Canada's Own the Podium (OTP) program.

With Roger Jackson's term as CEO of Canada's Own the Podium (OTP) program now complete, Alex Baumann, OTP's chief technical officer, has assumed the role of interim CEO.

Baumann, a Canadian aquatics athlete who won two gold medals and set two world records in swimming at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif., will now lead the current program as it undergoes a structural review and an analysis of the results achieved to date. He was originally hired in January 2007 to direct OTP's summer program.

"Roger has been an outstanding visionary and was largely responsible for shifting Canada's high performance sport culture to focus on excellence," Baumann said of his predecessor. "His uncompromising attitude to succeed at the highest level has brought Canada to new heights in the international arena. Roger has been a great mentor who has shown that if you aim high and believe, great things can be achieved."

OTP is a national sport technical initiative that was created in 2005 to help Canada become the number one nation (total medal count) at the 2010 Winter Games. Since its creation, the program has provided enhanced support to Canada's winter and summer sports.