University of Newcastle (UoN) athletes are full of praise for the new NUsport Performance Hub at the Callaghan campus.
Elite swimmers will now be able to train at the state-of-the-art facility, created in partnership with Swimming NSW and the NSW Institute of Sport, under the watchful eye of internationally-recognised coach Sander Ganzevles.
Student Bryn Bowen, part of the uni’s Elite Athlete Education Network (EAEN), was one of the first to give the centre the “thumbs up”.
“I’m hoping the training hub will help me reach my full potential,” he said.
“My goal’s to be an Olympic swimmer.
“And, to have Sander on board as a coach is amazing.
“He’s swum at an international level, so he understands the type of training and commitment that it takes to make it as a swimmer.
“Having the support of the EAEN, which helps me to balance my training and my studies, and now the training hub being a more professional environment, it’s made it feel like we’re being supported to be the best swimmers and students we can be.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO said the UoN was proud to launch the performance hub.
“We’re committed to supporting people to achieve their best,” he explained.
“Recently, we upgraded our pool to provide the region with facilities that enable us to host this program.
“Previously the closest hub for swimmers was in Sydney, which meant significant travel.
“The new performance hub has given swimmers in our region a pathway to representative level and will mean they will be able to continue their training without having to leave ‘home’.
“We already support athletes across a range of sporting fields to study and compete through our Elite Athlete Program.
“So, we’re thrilled to now partner with Swimming NSW and NSW Institute of Sport, who are leading institutions, to offer world-class coaching in our world-class facility.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin said the new complex would provide participants with better opportunities.
“The NUsport Performance Hub is a fantastic chance to offer a pathway for local, talented athletes to reach the highest levels in their sport while training in their own backyard,” he stated.
“This partnership cements our collective regional strategy to provide better access to world-class facilities and training environments for our future Olympians.”
NSWIS CEO Kevin Thompson said the provision of performance staff was essential to the success of the hub.
“We’re proud to co-fund with Swimming NSW the employment of a high-performance coach to lead the NUsport Performance Hub program and support the growth of development of local mentors,” he added.
Swimming NSW president Chris Fydler OAM said the hub would help to create better opportunities for swimmers across the state.
“We recently launched our new Strategic Plan with a key goal to establish more first choice performance environments for NSW swimmers,” he told the Newcastle Weekly.
“So, we’re delighted to launch our newest performance centre at the University of Newcastle.
“Having a highly-engaged infrastructure partner in NUsport, along with strong support from NSWIS and the local swimming community, made the process of selecting a place for our newest program simple.
“We’re excited what the future will hold for the swimmers and coaches of this area.”
More participants from the region will be selected into the program over the coming months.
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