Shane Tusup Makes Coaching Return, Pairs With Italian IMer Ilaria Cusinato

Long-time coach and one-time husband of Hungary’s Iron Lady Shane Tusup is making his way back to the pool deck.

After dabbling in the sport of golf as an athlete in the World Long Drive Association, the 31-year-old says he was approached by Italian 19-year-old Ilaria Cusinato about pairing up for a run at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“She sold me on a challenge,” is how Tusup describes the initial discussion with his new IM protege, with Tusup also saying, “I love her boldness in what she wants to do.”.

They are documenting their journey on a new YouTube channel entitled ‘Dark Horse’, with this initial episode of ‘0’ representing the Hungarian Coach’s career starting anew.

In May of this year, we reported how the 2018 European Championships silver medalist in the 400m IM would be changing up her coach just 2 months out from the World Championships in Gwangju. But, at the time, Cusinato said she would be moving from the Federal Center of Ostia under Stefano Morini, alongside the likes of Gregorio Paltrinieri and Gabriele Detti, to Tezze sul Brenta, training under Alessandro Chinellato.

Plans seemingly have changed once again, with Cusinato posting on her Instagram within minutes of Tusup’s video announcement, indicating, “You all are certainly not ready for this” on her personal Instagram account. Tusup says he will be joining Cusinato for practice in Italy on Monday, August 19th.

Tusup brings the coaching clout with his former athlete of Hosszu, as the pair garnered 4 Olympic medals, 13 Long Course World Championships medals, 22 Short Course World Championships medals and over 40 European Championships medals together before their split. 

Since then, in January of this year, Tusup said he was indeed leaving his coaching career behind, at least for the time being. His absence from the pool deck was short-lived after all.

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