Allan Hahn

Allan Geoffrey Hahn OAM (born 1951) is an Australian sports scientist. Between 1984 and 2011, he made a significant contribution to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in the areas of sports physiology and technology. In September 2011, he was appointed Emeritus Professor at the AIS.

Personal Hahn was born in Melbourne in 1951. He grew up in Melbourne and played a variety of sports including Australian rules football, boxing, cycling and cross country running.

Academic career In 1973, Hahn obtained a Diploma of Physical Education from the University of Melbourne and in the following year he completed a Higher Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) at the Melbourne College of Education. In 1976, he moved to Perth where in 1977, he completed a Bachelor of Physical Education with First Class Honours at the University of Western Australia. His Honours thesis titled The relative merits of two different exercise programs in the treatment of hypertension. In 1979, he took up a full-time position as a tutor at the University of Western Australia while also studying toward a PhD. In 1981, while still engaged in PhD studies, he took up a lecturing position at the University of Canberra. In 1984, he was appointed senior physiologist at the AIS Physiology Department. In 1987, he commenced a major research project to assist Australian rowing with talent identification. This research program has been acknowledged as the start of systematic talent identification in Australia. The research program resulted in Megan Still, identified through the program, combining with Kate Slatter to win the Women's Coxless Pair at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The boat they rowed in was called Allan Hahn in recognition of his work. In early 1990s, the AIS started research into the use of altitude training and Hahn has authored or co-authored over 70 papers in this area of research. In 1994, he replaced Dick Telford as the Head of AIS Physiology. In September 2011, whilst holding the position of Chief Scientist, Hahn resigned and took up an appointment as an emeritus professor. He provides sports science advice to the Collingwood Football Club when it won the 2010 Australian Football League Premiership, his support was publicly acknowledged by David Buttifant, the club's sport science director.

Hahn "has been described as the Grandfather of Australian Sports Science and a true visionary. A learned, friendly and humble man, he will be greatly missed. In his departure however, he leaves a legacy of innovation and a challenge for those who follow to keep the AIS at the forefront of technological advances in sport."

Recognition 2000 – Australian Sports Medal for services to sports science and medicine 2013 – Doctor of Applied Science Honoris Causa Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

External sources Allan Hahn interviewed by Rosalind Hearder for the National Library of Australia Sport Oral History Project, 2008