World-renowned trainer Chris Nesbit has today been appointed head coach for the England swimming team bound for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, it was announced today.

Nesbit, formerly head coach at Portsmouth Northsea, is a major figure in British swimming and over the past five years he has been leading the Offshore Centre in Australia.

In 2008, he was appointed head coach of the British squad for the World Short Course Championships in Manchester where Britain enjoyed an impressive team performance but his appointment for New Delhi is perhaps his biggest challenge to date.

Nesbit said: "This opportunity comes at a great time for me after finishing my five years at the Offshore Centre.

"This head coach position is a role that all senior coaches would be very pleased and excited to be a part of and I’m looking forward to it.

"On a personal note, I’ve coached around 25 per cent of the possible team at some point or another so it's great to continue the journey with them to Delhi and face together the tough challenge of a Commonwealth Games.

"I’ve worked with team leader John Atkinson before at the World Championships in Manchester in 2008 and it was a very successful event for the team.

"We work well as a partnership and I’m excited to be a part of it again for Delhi."

Nesbit also believes the Commonwealth Games provide athletes with the perfect experience and introduction of a multi-sport event was is a particular benefit to young, inexperienced British athletes ahead of London 2012.

Nesbit said: "The Commonwealth Games are a great opportunity for England’s swimmers.

"For the more experienced athletes it’s a great challenge while for our younger, developing swimmers it’s a perfect multi-sport event to experience ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

"It’s the perfect introduction to major international competition and will no doubt produce swimmers that will be serious medal contenders in 2012.

"There’s no doubt it will be a tough challenge for Team England.

"The Australians will be there in force, Canada and South Africa are also producing some very talented athletes and the home nations always pose a real challenge."

Prior to the Commonwealth Games, Nesbit will work with the Amateur Swimming Association’s (ASA) Beacon Programme where he will look to continue the development on the next generation of England’s swimmers.

The appointment has been welcomed by British Swimming National Performance Director Michael Scott who believes Nesbit’s experience will be of great benefit to the team.

Scott said: "In conjunction with the ASA, British Swimming is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris to the position of head coach.

"He is a well respected coaching figure within the swimming community and his last appointment with British Swimming has been as head coach of the offshore centre in Australia.

"From my perspective his coaching leadership will be critical to England’s success in Delhi and Chris’s track record as a coach means he will command the respect of the team in the lead up to Delhi."

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