Town have announced the appointment of double Olympic gold medal-winning rower Steve Williams to a consultancy role working with fitness coach Andy Liddell. Williams, 36, won gold in the coxless fours both in Athens in 2004 and at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Williams, who will focus on players’ fitness development and match preparation, also won gold at four World Championships before retiring in 2010. Last year he joined former Wales rugby union international, Richard Parks, in climbing and reaching the summit of Mount Everest.
Boss Paul Jewell told the club site: "The stats showed we were among the fittest sides in the Championship last season but it's important to explore every new angle of fitness and match preparation.
"Steve will work with individuals as well as the squad in general and brings with him a wealth of knowledge of competitive sport and what it takes to get to the very top.
"Having met Steve you can quickly see that he's highly motivated and I'm delighted he will be working with us. He will bring new ideas and I'm sure he will have a positive influence on the squad."
Williams, who was awarded the OBE in 2009, can’t wait to get going: "I'm really looking forward to working with the staff at Ipswich Town.
"There are many components in sport to getting individuals and a team in the best condition and I'm confident the experiences I have had in my career can be used as an asset to this football club."
Photos: Action Images/ITFC