The newly-appointed head of performance and coaching at Athletics Australia first represented Britain at the 1996 world junior championships at the Sydney Olympic Park athletics centre - which will host Saturday's Sydney Track Classic.

Four years later he finished fifth in the 200m at the 2000 Olympics at the adjacent venue formerly known as Stadium Australia.

In the following years, Malcolm guesses he has visited Australia on 10 or more occasions to train and compete, including at the Stawell Gift, the Brisbane Goodwill Games and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Now he gets to shape the often-fractured sport in the crucial lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

"For me it's about getting around to the athletics community in Australia as much as I can," said the 39-year-old.

"That's not just at elite level but grassroots level as well.

"Just get to know the landscape, get to know what they want, what they need, what they feel is missing and the areas we can help in.

"And I want to help the coaches.

"You've always had good coaches and resources, it's just trying to get those pathways and young talent which you do have going through to elite level."

Several of Australia's best performers, including Commonwealth pole vault champion Kurtis Marschall and 800m national record holder Joe Deng are currently competing on the European indoor circuit.

Olympic and world champion hurdler Sally Pearson is set to return to action early next month after missing the best part of a year with the Achilles tendon injury which cruelled her Gold Coast Commonwealth Games campaign.

But Malcolm will still get a first-hand look on Saturday at the likes of outstanding distance running prospect Stewart McSweyn, long jumpers Brooke Stratton and Naa Anang, and rising sprint stars Jack Hale, Trae Williams and Jake Doran.

With only seven months until the world championships in Doha, Malcolm will rely heavily on the input of head coach Craig Hilliard and AA's head of high performance systems Andrew Faichney while he learns the lie of the land.

"Then I'll make the changes from there if there are changes that are needed," he said.

"One of my strengths is communication.

I'm not a guy who is going to sit behind a desk and throw out emails.

"I want to go out and talk and listen."

Australian Associated Press