BRITAIN APPOINTS OLYMPIC CHAMPION COACH
The coach responsible for guiding American swimming legend
Janet Evans to four Olympic titles and six world records has
been appointed to head up a new programme at British Swimming's
Performance Centre in Swansea.
American Bud McAllister (49) will join the Swansea programme
next month where he will add a middle distance and distance
element to a currently sprint-based programme led by fellow
American Bill Pilczuk.
Originally from Michigan, McAllister spent his first 18 years
coaching in California while the past eight years he's coached
in Canada.
It's an appointment that National Performance Director Bill
Sweetenham is delighted with and one that will help to provide
a complete programme for performance swimming in Swansea.
"Bud is a great addition to the British Swimming programme
and will bring a tremendous level of expertise and experience,"
said Sweetenham.
"His track record speaks for itself. He coached Janet
Evans to Olympic glory and her outstanding achievements still
stand today as World Records.
"He will add to the programme established in Swansea
and the combination of sprint, middle distance and distance
programmes will provide Britain and Wales with a tremendous
opportunity to continue our success in the lead up to 2012."
McAllister will move to Swansea next month where he will
work with both male and female athletes identified as suitable
for the programme.
He will coach the form strokes over 200m as well as bring
a distance programme to the 50m facility in Swansea.
"I'm very excited about the new role. I think I'm facing
one of the best opportunities of my career and I'm looking
forward to getting started," said McAllister.
"My success has been from the 200m events upwards and
that's what I'll be looking to develop in Swansea."
McAllister was attracted to the position through his regard
for Sweetenham and the successes and improvements he's seen
in British Swimming over the past six years.
"What British Swimming offers is the ideal coaching
position for me. I have a lot of respect for Bill Sweetenham
and what he's achieved and I share many of his views and ideals.
"I agree with his total commitment to winning medals.
The primary goal for any athlete has to be to win medals at
international level and that's the programme Bill has put
in place within Britain.
"I've witnessed tremendous improvements in British Swimming
over the past six years. Every time I see the British in action
I'm more and more impressed."
McAllister's impressive track record includes coaching athletes
to six world records, five Olympic medals, four of them gold,
and a world championship medal.
He has twice been named American Swim Coaches Association
Coach of the Year, Canadian Coach of the Year and has attended
World Championships, Pan-Pacifics and Commonwealth Games as
national team coach for Canada.
His appointed will add to the British Swimming presence in
Swansea which is a relationship that has proven successful
since the centre opened in 2003.
Chief Executive of the Welsh ASA Bob James has welcomed McAllister's
appointment to Swansea and is looking forward to seeing swimmers
coming through the programme.
"It's been a very positive and productive relationship
between Swansea and British Swimming. It's involved Welsh
coaches working alongside British Swimming counterparts which
has created a real performance feel to the centre and the
results have been there for all to see.
"Welsh youngsters have had the chance to train alongside
members of the British senior squad and Swansea is now the
backbone of British Disability Swimming as it's high performance
centre."
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