Roland Schoeman, who has competed at the last four Olympic Games, has been named the head coach of the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic swim team for the Rio Games.
Schoeman is a decorated sprinter from the nation of South Africa. He won a gold medal as a part of the South African 4×100 free relay at the 2004 Olympics in Athens– there, he also won a silver medal in the individual 100 free and a bronze in the 50 free. In addition, Schoeman has multiple World Championships medals to his name, and he held the 50 free SCM world record at two points in his illustrious career.
In an article published on Friday by the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Online, Schoeman’s name is listed as a coach of the swimming team set for Rio.
Despite missing what would be his 5th trip to the Games, Schoeman will make his journey to Rio in the form of the T&T swim coach. The storied sprinter will get to work with T&T’s two swimmers to compete in Rio, George Bovell and Dylan Carter, who both happen to be elite sprinters themselves.
Bovell and Schoeman actually raced in the 2012 50 free final in London, with Schoeman clipping Bovell, 21.80 to 21.82. Schoeman was 6th, and Bovell 7th that day.
The Olympics begin on August 5th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Schoeman developed coaching goals right after missing qualification in South Africa? This here reeks of the corruption in sporting Organisations world wide. I would like to know how many times Schoeman has trained George Bovell before his appointment, and how many people in the Trinidad Swimming Association made this decision in the first place. Aren’t there any suitable local coaches? I cannot see who would make a brainiac decision to make an apparent friend of an athlete a coach instead of investing in another person especially since Dylan Carter is expected to be the next Medallist for Trinidad and it seems that the powers that be are playing politics with the future of the country’s swimming.
The irony of… Read more »
It would appear that your extremely bent out of shape about this. Trinidad is a tiny sporting nation. 2 qualifiers.
George has been the major performer for over 8 years now. Dylan is a young, upcoming swimmer who will have to drop significant time to be in contention for medals.
We do not understand the inner workings of South African swimming or swimming in T&T yet you seem to be very vocal about it. Are you involved in either of these federations and therefore talk from first hand knowledge?
Most seem to applaud the fact that Roland has been asked to be head coach! Once again. We don’t understand what has gone into this decision and how… Read more »
And ultimately at the end of the day this is about the swimmers and who they feel comfortable with. I’m all for the development of coaches, but then send them with athletes to various other low level meets in order to gain experience.
Nothing but respect for the swimmer Roland Schoeman has been. But one cannot help but suspect that this is due to back room shananigins in the local aquatics federation seeking to keep certain local coaches from attending.
George had left his coach in April and more often than not, was swimming on his own. Dylan shared his last 6 months almost evenly between LA and Trinidad, yet he gets no coach selection option. The accreditation options have both gone to George whereby he chose a manager, and submitted names for a coach.
I am not even certain he specifically chose Roland, as another coach who is US based was also listed. My gut tells me the federation pulled… Read more »
Roland is a Master and has years of experience to share .
yawn
One very luck team to have Roland as coach !
Isn’t there like..coaches.. Who need experience… And devote their lives to an opportunity like this?
I’m not saying he won’t do a great job but does anyone know the connection here? Like how he got the job.
probably best friend with George Bovell.
Friends with George Bovell