Swimming: Australia set sights on swim guru Sweetenham
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Not for the first time in these parts has an ambusher of gold been placed at the top of Australia's wanted list. Back in the late 1870s, Ned Kelly was hunted down for, among other things, stealing precious metal that had been dug from the gold mines in Melbourne's hinterland. In the here and now, Bill Sweetenham has become Australia's most wanted for committing the crime of plundering a swag of 15 gold medals from the Melbourne Aquatic Centre.
As the investigation began into how the swimmers of England, Scotland and Wales came to make off with virtually half of the booty from the Commonwealth Games swimming competition, the performance director of British Swimming was identified as the chief culprit. Having seen his men's team outscored 12-1 by Britons, Glenn Tasker, chief executive of Swimming Australia, issued an invitation to Sweetenham to return to his homeland when his contract expires in Britain after the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
"I think Bill would be invaluable as a member of Australia's coaching staff, in an institute or state academy role," Tasker said. "He went to Britain and raised the qualifying standards, raised all standards really."
Having set out an eight-year revival plan for British swimming the aquatic bushranger would be unlikely to be tempted home until his contract ends.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments