In order to provide the world’s best training environment and support for Australia’s elite swimmers and coaches, Swimming Australia have elevated the SUSF/NSWIS Swimming Program of Excellence to Podium Performance status.
Working in partnership with the SUSF/NSWIS Swimming Program of Excellence and 14 other swimming centres, Swimming Australia Podium Performance Program will provide improved coach remuneration and well-being, better integration of sport science and sport medicine into the Daily Performance Environment and access to camps and competitions that will have demonstrable performance impact.
The announcement by Swimming Australia is a huge vote of confidence for swimming at Sydney University and its swimming coaches Grant Stoelwinder and Scott Talbot.
Working closely with Senior Coach Scott Talbot over the past 12 months, SUSF/NSWIS Swimming Program of Excellence Head Coach Grant Stoelwinder spoke of his delight in seeing the Program upgraded to Podium Performance status.
“One of our first goals was to establish a program that would be considered for Podium Performance with Australian Swimming,” said Stoelwinder.
“Being granted Podium Performance status will provide Sydney University’s elite swimmers with the environment to best prepare for major competitions within Australia and internationally.”
Our swimmers already have a host of support staff available to them, such as biomechanics and physiologists as part of the partnership with NSWIS. The new status ensures that Sydney University athletes get the added bonus of being able to have a stable environment for training with access to great coaches including Swimming Australia Head Coach Jacco Verhaerren.”
Stoelwinder and Talbot credit their entire squad of swimmers for their incredible results in 2013, saying “Scott and I are extremely satisfied with the progress of our athletes’ physical and mental improvements,” said Stoelwinder.
Following April’s 2013 Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide, SUSF/NSWIS Swimming Program of Excellence was elevated to top five in Australia. Matt Abood, Sarah Rose, Sarah Hilt, Hayley White, Andrew Abood and Keiran Qaium were also selected in Australia’s 2013 World Championships, Australia A and World University Games teams.
“This is a great testament to how hard both the coaches and the athletes have worked to get to this point,” said Talbot.
“This was a great achievement for the first year of the Program being established. With this level being achieved, Sydney University will be able to attract athletes of an excellent standard coming out of high school.”
Talbot and Stoelwinder have vowed to continue to work hard in order to push their swimmers to even greater heights.
“Our immediate goal following the announcement of Podium status will be to place more athletes onto the dais at the national competitions and then gain selection in the 2014 Commonwealth Games team next year in Glasgow,” said Talbot.
“Our long term goal is continue to build the kind of culture and team that athletes from around Australia and around the world want to come and be a part of and a team that leaves a legacy at Sydney University.
“Of course the big hope is that the SUSF/NSWIS Swimming Program of Excellence will provide several of our athletes with the opportunity to represent Australia at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and potentially some who are able to come away with a medal.”
