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2022 BRITISH COACH OF THE YEAR: DAVE HEMMINGS
Dave Hemmings, the head coach at the Loughborough National Performance Centre, led his group of swimmers to a very strong year across the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships, earning him British Coach of the Year honors.
Hemmings coaches established names such as James Wilby, Abbie Wood and Molly Renshaw, who had continued success this year, while the likes of Freya Colbert and Laura Stephens broke out by winning their first individual medals on the international stage.
Wilby, now 29, completed the tough triple from Worlds to Euros, first placing fourth in the men’s 100 breaststroke in Budapest while also taking over relay duties on the British men’s medley squad with the absence of Adam Peaty. Wilby out-split Australia’s breaststroker by more than a second in 58.82 to help the Brits snag bronze.
Wilby then roared to gold representing England at the Commonwealth Games in the 100 breast and picked up silver in the 200 breast, and then he finished off his busy summer schedule by winning the European title in the 200 breast.
Wood was a finalist at Worlds in the women’s 200 breast and then racked up five medals at the Commonwealth Games, including an individual bronze in the 200 IM, and she also finished the year by placing sixth in the 200 IM and eighth in the 200 breast at Short Course Worlds.
Renshaw, who announced her retirement in November, wrapped up her successful career by placing sixth in the women’s 200 breast and eighth in the 100 breast at the World Championships and then placing fourth in both events at the Commonwealth Games.
Stephens, 23, came through with a silver medal performance in the women’s 200 fly at the Commonwealth Games, adding a bronze medal on England’s medley relay, and she also took fourth at Euros in the event.
Colbert, who has spent time with both Hemmings and Nova Centurion’s Nathan Hilton, broke through at British Trials in April, qualifying for the World Championship team, and then won bronze at the European Championships in the women’s 400 IM (4:40.06) at the age of 18.
Hemmings also coached Joe Litchfield to a bronze medal at the World Championships as a member of the British men’s 800 free relay, with the 24-year-old adding two more relay medals in Birmingham.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Dave McNulty – McNulty, the head coach at the National Centre in Bath, led Tom Dean to a very strong year that included individual bronze in the men’s 200 free at both the LC and SC World Championships, and a combined 10 medals between the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, including three individual silvers in Birmingham. McNulty also coached Brodie Williams to a Commonwealth title in the men’s 200 back, and guided James Guy to a pair of individual medals as well. Freya Anderson also won individual medals in the women’s 200 free (silver) and 100 free (bronze) at the European Championships to go along with four relay medals.
- James Gibson – Gibson, who has worked with some of the world’s best swimmers as the head coach of the ISL’s Energy Standard club, was the man behind the standout year produced by Ben Proud, who made history with his performances in the men’s 50 free. Proud became the first swimmer to win the same event at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships in the same year. Prior to the start of the SC World Championships in December, Proud was simultaneously the reigning world champion in both short course and long course, the European champion and Commonwealth champion in the 50 free. He also won gold in the 50 fly at the Commonwealth Games, and at SC Worlds, ended up placing second in a time of 20.49, within a tenth of his British Record (20.40).
PREVIOUS WINNERS
- 2021 – Dave McNulty
- 2020 – Dave McNulty
- 2019 – Mel Marshall
- 2018 – Steven Tigg
Not sure Dave Hemming’s is head coach of Loughborough, nor played any part in Freya Colberts International summer medal successes.
A very likeable individual, and excellent coach. But David McNulty shaded it with more medals and best times despite running Bath NC on his own- IMO.
Other coaches deserving of honourable mentions would be Nathan Hilton(Colbert), Ryan Livingstone(Richards) + Ian Wright(Shanahan).
Pretty sure James Gibson only coaches Ben Proud on Instagram, for likes.
Please SwimSwam, a little more accuracy and insight?
Do club coaches ever get noticed in the UK? In the years I coached there, not so much.
Top swimmers are pretty firmly directed to a national centre, which means recognition tends to go to those coaches rather than club coaches.
Where they have excellent resources to potentially develop further…
I’m sure Mel Marshall was a club coach when she was recognised with Peaty, a few years running.
The Hulk of Hillingdon – now, the Legend of Loughborough ! Congratulations Dave – you are appreciated respected valued and loved all around the world !