29-year-old Dutch breaststroker and two-time Olympic medalist Arno Kamminga has announced a coaching change, ending his long-term partnership with Mark Faber to train under Tom Rushton.
Rushton, based in Hong Kong, is best known for coaching multi-time Olympic freestyle medalist Siobhan Haughey. He also had a part in coaching World Championship medalist Anastasia Gorbenko last year, Estonian multi-time national record holder Kregor Zirk, and Mary-Sophie Harvey during her age group days, among others.
Kamminga’s move follows Faber’s departure from his position as head of the High-Performance Center in Amsterdam after the Paris Games. Since September, Faber has served as technical director for the Flemish Swimming Federation in Belgium.
In November of 2023, an investigation into allegations of abuse of power, bullying, and intimidation was launched concerning Faber. He was ultimately cleared of any inappropriate behavior five months later.
“From that moment on, it became very difficult to fully focus on swimming, because I felt so bad for Mark and what happened to him,” Kamminga told Leidsch Dagblad.
Kamminga, who took eight months off following the Paris Olympics and is currently working on a documentary, also announced that he will forgo the World Championships in Singapore this summer.
He made a personal announcement via Instagram, writing, “I’m excited to share an important step in my journey. A new chapter filled with hope, growth, and fresh energy.
“After taking time to reflect on where I am and where I want to go, I’ve decided to continue my swimming career in Hong Kong, but representing the Netherlands.
“My time in Dutch swimming has shaped me in countless ways. It’s been a journey full of lessons, some tough, many beautiful, and I will always carry those experiences with me. While not everything went the way I had hoped, I now see it as a chapter that helped me grow, not just as an athlete but as a person. It’s time for that chapter to close, and for a new one to begin.
“There are people I want to thank from the bottom of my heart. Coach Mark and physio Jan, your unwavering support, your belief in me, and your dedication to not only making me a better swimmer but a better human being. I will never forget that.
“It saddens me that I couldn’t continue my journey in the Netherlands with Mark. We’ve achieved so much together, and that connection will always mean a lot to me. But at the same time, I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to train and live in Hong Kong. I truly believe this is the best option for me right now. To find the stability, support, and clarity I need to swim at my best again.
“Going forward, I’ll be based in Hong Kong, representing the Netherlands, and training under the guidance of coach Tom Rushton. After taking an eight-month break from swimming, I’ll be starting up slowly, listening to my body and rebuilding step by step. Because of that I will not be participating in Singapore this summer for the upcoming world championships. But I’m determined to give it my all and get back into shape, with my eyes set firmly on the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. That passion and drive is still there, and I’m ready to work for it.
“Over the past year, I’ve also been working on something very personal: a documentary that tells the story behind this transition. It’s about figuring out who I am, what I stand for and where my boundaries are. While working on this documentary I learned a lot by looking back at what happened to me in the past months and years which led to me choosing for Hong Kong. The documentary is raw, honest, and deeply personal and will give a small inside in what the world of high level swimming is about. I hope to share more information about this amazing project later this year, since it’s not done yet.
“Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this journey. The support means more than I can say. I’m hopeful, I’m motivated, and I’m ready for what’s ahead.”
Kamminga emerged as one of the world’s premier breaststrokers in the early 2020s, establishing himself as a top contender in both the 100 and 200.
In December 2020, he became just the fourth man in history to break the 2:07 barrier in the 200, going 2:06.85 at the Rotterdam Qualfication Meet. A few months later, in April 2021, he joined an even more exclusive club—becoming the second man ever to break 58 in the 100 with a 57.90 at the Netherlands National Team Time Trial Meet. He improved on that mark during the Tokyo Olympics, where he posted 57.80 in the prelims and went on to win silver medals in both the 100 (58.00) and 200 (2:07.01).
At the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, he collected another silver in the 100 with a time of 58.62. He qualified 10th in the 200 prelims but withdrew from the semifinals, signaling a possible shift in focus toward the shorter event. That suspicion was confirmed at the 2023 Fukuoka Worlds, where he tied for silver in the 100 breast in 58.72 alongside Nic Fink and Nicolo Martinenghi, but fell short in the 200, placing 12th in prelims with a 2:10.57 and failing to advance to the final.
At the 2024 Worlds in Doha, Kamminga finished 5th in the 100 with a 59.22 and came 7th in the 200 in 2:10.06. Later that year, at the Paris Olympics, he placed 6th in the 100 with a time of 59.32. In the 200, he finished 12th in prelims and withdrew from the semifinals.
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Since the OG of 2012, the only individual medals won in the pool (respect, Sharon and Ferry) came from the Amsterdam training group. The repercussions of the foolish decision to let Faber leave will be felt far and wide. The KNZB never misses an opportunity to do the wrong thing.