Reading Swimming Club is delighted to announce that Graeme Thomas has been appointed Head Coach and will be taking up the full-time role shortly.

Graeme has been a highly respected member of Reading’s coaching team and spent a year coaching with City of Sheffield at the country’s top pool at Ponds Forge. He is now leaving a post as age-group coach at the Manchester Aquatic Centre, the venue for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, to take charge at his hometown club – where his links date back to his learning to swim with the club’s successful teaching programme more than 20 years ago. Now 32, he swam for Reading at national level and was club captain for six seasons.

A strong backstroker and freestyle swimmer himself, Graeme will be promoting a multi-stroke, multi-distance programme under a brief to help a group of very promising age-group swimmers fulfil their potential as senior competitors. He succeeds Australian distance specialist Stephen Hill, who coached some outstanding swimmers including World Championship finalist and Commonwealth record-holder Rebecca Cooke.

The club is delighted to have secured the services of a top young coach committed to keeping the town on the swimming map, and coaches, swimmers and parents alike have welcomed the appointment.

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