Following the decision by Coach Alan Thompson not to proceed with Australian Swimming federation's offer of the position of High Performance Director one week ago, the federation moved quickly to appoint the second choice applicant, Coach Greg Hodge.

The following press announcement was released by new Executive Director, Glen Tasker and Media Director Ian Hanson.

Australian Swimming Inc

Greg Hodge New National High Performance Director

Appointments Of Head Men's And Women's Coaches To Follow

Greg Hodge, the man behind the success of the NSW Institute of Sport swimming program, has today been appointed the National High Performance Director of Australian Swimming Inc.

Hodge will manage Australia's elite programs in the lead up to the 2004 Olympics in Athens and will act as the head of delegation on all of Australia's international teams through 2002, 2003 and 2004.

The 54-year-old former Aquadot Swim Club head coach and Sutherland Shire Council Aquatics director has been the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) head coach since the program's inception in 1997.

He has developed the NSWIS program into one of the best in the country, working closely with the NSW coaches and swimmers, developing elite programs in the metropolitan area and country and regional centres.

The popular former Endeavour Sports High School teacher says his four-year tenure at the NSWIS has been the ideal grounding for his elevation to the National High Performance role.

Hodge admits his immediate challenge is to successfully complete the change of direction in the high performance/elite coaching area for Australian Swimming Inc. which will see head coaches in the men's and women's teams working alongside the High Performance Director.

Hodge said today: "I am really looking forward to the challenge and I believe the last four years has prepared me for this position.

"I also believe my duties as Aquatics Director at Sutherland has paved the way for my NSWIS head coaching role.

"It will be up to me to drive and oversee this major change in the Australian Swimming high performance program which has had one man (Don Talbot) at the helm for so long.

"I see my role as being more strategic, with a lot of planning and to ensure that I manage that change in direction and bring people along with it."

Hodge will manage Australia's preparation both domestically and internationally with the National High Performance Camps and three major overseas campaigns to the World Short Course Championships (Moscow, April 3-7); Commonwealth Games (Manchester, July 26-31) and the Pan Pacific Championships (Yokohama, August 24-29).

International competition will be nothing new for the enthusiastic Hodge who made his debut as the head coach/manager of the Australian squad which contested the 1990 World Cup tour to Europe.

He was then appointed as assistant manager on the Australian teams at the 1991 World Championships in Perth and the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and Pan Pacific Championships in 1991, 1993, 1995.

He was also the Australian team manager at the 1993, 1997 and 1999 World Short Course Championships.

Australian Swimming president John Devitt AM congratulated Hodge on his appointment saying: "Australian Swimming is fortunate to have a person with the ability of Greg Hodge who has good administration, good planning and organisational skills to fill this very important role.

"We are delighted to have Greg on board and I am sure he will bring the kind of enthusiasm and expertise required to guide us through the next three years."

Australian Swimming will now pursue the appointment of the new Head Men's and Head Women's Coaches over the next two weeks.