Fred Vergnoux, Mireia Belmonte’s Coach, Wins Spain’s Coach of the Year Award
Photo by Joao Marc Bosch
BARCELONA, Spain, September 25. MIREIA Belmonte’s success at the European championships helped earn her coach, Fred Vergnoux, Spain’s Coach of the Year Award.
Belmonte is one of several Spaniards on Vergnoux’s international team, and was the most successful this year. Belmonte scored six medals at the European championships, including gold in the 200 fly and 1500 freestyle. Her time of 15:57.29 in the mile broke her own national record. She made her international debut in open water as well, taking bronze in the five-kilometer swim.
Vergnoux has been charged with guiding some of the world’s best from France and Great Britain in his career, but now his focus is on improving Spain’s performance in the global scope. Vergnoux might have won this award in 2013 for getting Belmonte on the world championship podium three times, but was beat out by Jose Antonio del Castillo, the man who helped Melanie Costa win 400 free bronze at worlds last year.