Swimming Australia announces head coaching team for 2028 LA Olympic and Paralympic Games

Rohan Taylor, the swimming coach who steered the Dolphins to success in Paris, preceded by the swimming team’s most successful Games at the Tokyo Olympics, has been reappointed as head coach for the 2028 LA Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Taylor shared “I am honoured to be leading the Olympic Program to LA and privileged to be working with the coaches, athletes and HP Leadership that make our Dolphins team successful. None of us exist in isolation and the quest for excellence is ongoing across all programs."

The confirmation of Taylor’s reappointment was announced by Swimming Australia along with naming the head coaching staff to spearhead the next four-year cycle into the 2028 LA Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In addition to Taylor and the recent recruitment of Brazilian Olympic coach Fernando Possenti, who will head the Open Water Program, experienced high performance coach Mel Tantrum has been appointed as Paralympic Head Coach and Simon Cusack the National Youth Coach.

Tantrum’s appointment is a strategic move to elevate Australia’s Paralympic team on the international stage while Cusack’s role is a nod to the green and gold runway of a home Games in Brisbane 2032.

Cusack, a four-time Olympic coach who has spent 20 years coaching the likes of swimming legends Cate and Bronte Campbell and Australia’s most decorated Paralympic champion Ellie Cole, has been appointed fulltime.

He was also campaign head coach of the Dolphins' team that competed at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest that finished recently, a team which fielded nine rookies and achieved 22 PBs.

Australia’s Olympic success in the pool in Paris, including seven gold medals – just one behind the United States – spotlighted Australia as once again the co-dominant swim nation in the world, alongside their American rivals.

The Dolphins' Paralympic team is embracing innovation and world’s best practice with the appointment of Tantrum.

Tantrum, who has served as World Junior Head Coach, coached Paralympian Katrina Porter to two world records and a 2008 Paralympic gold medal, as well as Jeremy McClure to a final at the same Paralympics.

General Manager of Swimming Australia’s Paralympic program Anna Johnson enthused “I’m thrilled to announce the appointment of Mel Tantrum as the new National Head Coach of our Paralympic program. Mel brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success, not only in swimming but across other Para-sports too.

“Mel has an impressive legacy, having coached an individual Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder, and has coached multiple swimming and triathlon athletes on to the Australian Paralympic Team.

"Her experience spans 15 Australian swim team campaigns over more than two decades, highlighting her dedication and expertise in the sport.

“Mel’s collaborative leadership style, commitment to fostering high performing environments, and unwavering passion for supporting coaches, developing talent, and driving success has us incredibly excited and we believe her leadership and expertise will play a pivotal role in achieving our bold vision of becoming world leading.”

Tantrum shared “I am honoured to be appointed National Head Coach of Swimming Australia’s Paralympic Program.

“I am looking forward to working with the motivated and talented coaches and athletes across the country with the vision of being the number one Paralympic Swimming nation in the world. Our goal nationally is to unite and inspire Australians with a disability to swim.

“Our Para athletes have a long history of performing on the world stage with the likes of Daphne Ceeney (1960) and Elizabeth Edmondson (1964) and more recent history including Priya Cooper, Matthew Cowdrey, and Ellie Cole.

“My role is to innovate and optimise our Paralympic Program to be podium ready for LA in 2028 and ultimately be world’s best in Brisbane in 2032.

“I have witnessed the growth and progression of our Paralympic swimmers and coaches since my first Paralympic team experience in Beijing in 2008, and I’m excited to be able to develop opportunities to advance Para athlete and coach development nationally”.

Executive General Manager of High Performance Greg Shaw added “with these appointments we are building world class campaign leadership with experienced gold medal coaches.

“Each have coached athletes to win when it matters. Our challenge of going to LA and continuing to grow our performances is immense but with the coaches we have in key roles we have confidence our sport is in the right hands to deliver.”

National Youth Coach Cusack enthused “I’m excited about this role and helping establish a blueprint from a coaching point of view, my goal is for coaches coming through the system to have a greater appreciation for perfect technique. There's been a great investment in skills like starts and turns in recent years.

“And we've seen that flow through but it's only part of the race, and we need our younger coaches, who seem to be very well versed in physiology to have a far greater appreciation for what it takes to coach the fundamentals of the four strokes - and that's my immediate focus."

Image. Rohan Taylor will remain as the head coach of Swimming Australia through the next summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, 2028. Credit: Swimming Australia