The University of Stirling has added another member of its stacked stable, as English freestyler Cameron Kurle is moving to the #bleedgreen team for his new training home.
Kurle is pursuing a new direction, leaving longtime coach Jol Finck at Bath, whom he’s been with for the past 9 years, to Steve Tigg, coach of Commonwealth Games champion and Olympic medalist Duncan Scott, among others.
22-year-old Kurle busted onto the international scene back at the 2015 European Games, capturing the men’s individual 200m free silver.
Then, at just 19 years of age, Kurle was named to Great Britain’s roster for the 2016 Olympic Games where he placed 35th in the men’s 200m freestyle with a time of 1:49.08. Notably, however, he was left off of the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay there in Rio.
Two years later, Kurle helped Great Britain snag gold in the 4x200m free relay at the 2018 European Championships while he also contributed to England’s men’s 4x100m free and 4x200m free relay silver medal results at that same year’s Commonwealth Games.
He owns a lifetime best 200m free of 1:47.63, a time he registered as lead-off on the aforementioned relay on the Gold Coast.
Individually there, Kurle mustered a time of 1:48.96, however, finding himself well out of the final in 13th place.
At the 2019 British championships, Kurle was back in the 1:48 territory, logging 1:48.18. But he did manage a 1:46.97 split in the heats of the men’s 800 free relay at the World Championships later that year, offering a glimpse of the speed the man has yet to tap.
Kurle is still hunting for his breakout performance and is hoping that his move from Bath to Stirling can act as a catalyst to make something big happen.
“I was always planning on moving after 2020,” Kurle told SwimSwam. “But felt like the decision which the OLY made has speeded up the decision and I’m eager to start in a new place.”
As to what prompted Kurle to seek a new training home, the freestyle ace said, “I felt that my general happiness at Bath wasn’t great and for my self to perform I need to be happy.
“I felt I’ve come to a standstill in my career and I want to move things on and achieve my goals.
“Making the move as I do need a new voice and a new environment and I believe Stirling is the best place for me.”
Specifically, regarding the fact Kurle will be training alongside the aforementioned Scott, Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete, Kurle said, “I think it will have a positive impact on me as he’s a world-class athlete who’s continually improving.”
Kurle relays that he thanks Finck for the past 9 years and the continued support from British Swimming.
Of note, Kurle’s national teammate James Guy also changed coaching directions from Finck, with the 2015 World Champion and recent European Short Course Championships bronze medalist shifting from the storied coach to now be under the tutelage of Dave McNulty.
Last year Olympic silver medalist in the women’s 200m IM, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, also made a move from Bath to Loughborough less than a year from the then-2020 Olympic Games.
Leaving Finck with who? Nice salary for it mind.