Worldwide Search For Olympic Medal Winning Coach To Spearhead Sydney University Performance Centre
New South Wales sporting administrators are confident of attracting a high profile Olympic medal winning coach to spearhead its latest high performance collaboration with Sydney University.
The Sydney University Swimming Performance Centre will elevate the performance of talented student athletes from across New South Wales, providing clear pathways for swimmers pursuing academic and athletic goals to the highest level.
Sydney Uni Sport, the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) and Swimming NSW have joined forces to establish its latest Performance Centre as part of an ambitious plan to have NSW swimmers on top of the podium in front of a home crowd at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games
The commencement of the Performance Centre is subject to the recruitment of a world class high performance coach to lead the program and to drive the State’s swimming resurgence and Swimming NSW chiefs are confident of attracting a high profile international coach for the role.
Swimming NSW Performance Centres provide high performance environments led by internationally recognised coaches, with eligible student athletes to be supported by a combination of Sydney Uni Sport’s Elite Athlete Scholarship Program and NSWIS scholarships.
The Sydney University Swimming Performance Centre is the latest addition to the existing Performance Centres located at the University of Newcastle, the Australian Institute of Sport, Sutherland Leisure Centre and Sydney Olympic Park.
Swimming NSW CEO and Sydney 2000 Olympic silver medallist Kirsten Thomson OLY said: “Swimming NSW is thrilled to announce the Sydney University Swimming Performance Centre. We are grateful to our partners for believing in our vision to return NSW to number one for performance in the pool and confident we will recruit a world class coach to lead the program.
“The prospect of our two university partners (Sydney University and Newcastle University) working together to support swimmers across the state will create a unique environment that will strengthen our performance on the international stage and provide new opportunities for our swimmers”.
The University of Sydney has a long and prestigious history of sport, whilst also being regarded as a world leading university.
Since 1912, Sydney University has supported over 224 Olympians and Paralympians including 44 athletes and coaches at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Performance Centre is the next step in Sydney University Sport’s mission to strengthen the role of university sport within Australia’s high-performance pathways whilst providing high quality education.
Sydney Uni Sport CEO Ed Smith said: “As CEO of Sydney Uni Sport, I’m thrilled to announce our collaboration with the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) and Swimming NSW to launch a Performance Centre that is designed to elevate our swimmers to world class competitive standards.
“This ambitious initiative aligns our resources, coaching expertise, and facilities to ensure that our athletes are not only representing Australia but are reaching their full potential both professionally in the workforce and athletically on the Olympic and Paralympic stages right here in Brisbane in 2032.
“This partnership underscores our commitment to developing top-tier athletic talent and offering our student athletes the holistic support they need to excel. Our collective vision is for New South Wales to become the home of Australia’s fastest and smartest swimmers.
“Together we hope to inspire excellence in our swimmers, setting the stage for Sydney Uni Sport to play a central role in a new era of Australian swimming”.
The NSW Institute of Sport has a proud history of success in the pool, supporting Olympic and Paralympic greats including Ian Thorpe AM and Matthew Levy OAM.
During the 2024 Paris Games NSWIS recorded the 100th Olympic medal won by one of its scholarship holders when University of Sydney student, William Yang, was awarded a silver medal for his role as a heat swimmer in the 4 x 100m freestyle event, while Para triathlete/cyclist Lauren Parker recorded NSWIS’s 200th Paralympic medal.
The establishment of a Performance Centre within a university environment is one of several strategies to ensure NSW swimmers shine at the 2032 Games.
Why does it have to be an international coach? Why couldn’t it be Michael Bohl, or one of Australia’s emerging high performance coaches? Let’s develop from within NSW.
Totally agree. It could be Mikaela from Carlile Ryan from Sopac. Why do we have to pay a coach to move here?
Plenty that could do it. Look at the best clubs. Knox, Trinity, Manly, Carlile, Cranbrook. One of their coaches would be a good fit.
I’ve heard they have already chosen the coach. Some old guy from UK.
Oh really? NSW will soon have more performance centres than swimmers! Getting to be a bit of a joke. Maybe time for performance administrators?
Any wonder they have no swimmers? Their state is in a shambles. They think creating performance centres will solve their problems. Not a chance. All of their good swimmers will still move up north where they get supported.
Can anyone else remember when NSW was at their best? Late 90’s, early 2000’s. They had numerous NSW clubs and coaches producing multiple Australian reps.That was well before they started to import coaches from overseas or interstate. Wonder how all the NSW coaches feel? Let down by poor administration is my guess. QLD do it right!
Who would want to move to Sydney? And coach there? Not sure they even have a national finalist in their group
NSW are splashing the cash! Meet levy is doing its job.
Why does NSW Swimmjng not like Paul’s? 1st they got rid of Paul in Newcastle, now they are getting rid of Paul from Sydney. Paul’s can coach too!
Wonder if the new Sydney coach will employ his wife as the Club coach? That’s what happened up here at Nuswim.
Last time Sydney Uni were any good, they imported the coach and swimmers. Same again this time round?
The last time Sydney Uni had a decent swim program, Jon Shaw was a young tadpole.
Aside from Qld the rest of the country seems to be weak and in disarray not just NSW .. other states just not able to retain talents and encourage growth .. they all moving to Gold Coast and Brisbane even Ariarne did it
NSW was once the pride of Australian Swimming. Now they are viewed as a joke. The current management should apologise to all that have gone before them.
Why is there so much negativity around NSW performance centers? Only thing that needs a rethink is should NSW Swimming be employing all these coaches? They then prioritize their ‘own clubs’ over all other regular member clubs. No other state employs any clubs coaches