FORMER TEAM GB Olympic and Paralympic coach Lars Humer has been appointed as head of Swim Ireland’s high performance programme at the University of Limerick.
Humer replaces Ronald Claes whose contract in UL was not renewed after the Olympics, a decision which led to concerns about the centre’s future as the hub for Ireland’s top domestic-based swimmers.
A native of Dunedin, New Zealand, Humer comes to the job with almost 35 years of experience since he started coaching in 1978.
He moved to Britain in 1999 and worked with British Swimming for over 11 years, including spells as GB Head of Para Swimming and also alongside Olympic medallists Keri-Anne Payne and Cassie Patten.
“[Lars] has huge experience and a proven track record in coaching performance swimmers,” Swim Ireland national performance director Peter Banks said in a statement last night. “I know he will do a great job in Limerick.
“Swim Ireland has started on a new Performance Pathway to 2016 and having performance centres with top class coaches in all four regions is the foundation and first step on that pathway.”
The appointment will be of particular interest to three-time European senior medallist Gráinne Murphy who had trained with Claes in UL since the age of 14.
The decision to part ways with the Belgian prompted fears that Murphy might leave Ireland and move abroad to train, but the 19-year-old has since returned home to Wexford where she is currently working with Fran Ronan in her native New Ross.
