In the second of two articles, Swimming World spoke to Mel Marshall as we highlight her achievements as a pioneer in the sport as well as talking about her new life in Australia.
Mel Marshall sits in her Gold Coast apartment listing what she loves about Australia.
The 43-year-old took up the reins as the Head of High Performance at Griffith University in Queensland at the turn of 2025. She replaced Michael Bohl who’d planned an extended break following the Olympics although he’s now taken on an advisory role with the Chinese Swimming Association.
It was the start of a new chapter for Marshall whose 15-year odyssey with Adam Peaty ended following Paris 2024 and it brought to a close more than 30 years in the British swimming system.
Kaylee McKeown: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia
Kaylee McKeown and Zac Stubblety-Cook – who share 13 Olympic medals – and Paris silver medallist Ella Ramsey are among the cohort she oversees at Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Southport.
McKeown reigned supreme once more as the backstroke queen at the NSW State Championships in Sydney over the weekend with times of 27.06, 57.73 and 2:04.57 in the 50, 100 and 200 back respectively.
Less than three months into her four-year contract and Marshall has found a meeting of minds, saying:
“We had a coaches’ meeting and if I look at the wealth of medal-winning success I was inspired, I really was.
“And another thing I love about Australia, I love that they are addicted to performance, I love that they’re addicted to trying to win. I also love how passionate they are and how much they hurt when they lose because they just love sport, they love swimming and they love trying to compete and I just love that.
“I like the leadership and where they want to take things and the talent pool is really exciting and I’m working at what I think is the best facility in the world. Also, it’s the most positive facility in the world. The woman at reception makes me banana bread – I’m like wow! Love her!”
Reaching The Pinnacle Before A Parting Of The Ways
Marshall first graced an international podium at 13 with four gold medals at the European Youth Olympics.
She went on to compete at two Olympics as well as claiming extensive silverware at world, European and Commonwealth levels, including six medals at Melbourne 2006.
After retiring in 2008, she was appointed head coach at the City of Derby club where a 14-year-old Peaty accompanied his friend Kyle to a try-out session.
Thus began a partnership that saw the pair blaze a pioneering trail. Peaty was utterly dominant as he soared to Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth glory while changing the landscape of the 50 and 100m breaststroke.
Adam Peaty, Mel Marshall and Luke Greenbank: Photo Courtesy: Mel Marshall
It’s not only Peaty that Marshall has guided to success. Luke Greenbank won Olympic bronze and world silver in the 200 back, Anna Hopkin anchored the mixed medley relay to gold in Tokyo and Sarah Vasey won the 50m breaststroke at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She also oversaw the men’s medley relay which won Olympic silver and world gold.
Recognition came Marshall’s way as she became the first woman to be named the British Swimming Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2014, the first of three straight awards.
She was named High Performance Coach of the Year by UK Sport in 2019 and British Swimming’s Coach of the Year that same year.
In 2021, Marshall was awarded an MBE for services to swimming and charity in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
However, over time cracks emerged in the relationship with Aquatics GB and it heralded a parting of the ways.
“I’ll always be thankful for the people that walked in and supported me and those people know who they are,” said Marshall.
“It wasn’t the people but the system and me wanted different things: Australia and me are looking for the same things.
“I’m really thankful that I found a system with the same values and the same vision and the same desires to chase dreams.”
Finding Herself Again On Return From Paris
After returning from Paris in early August, Marshall had four months before her move to Australia, time she used to “find herself again.”
It gave her time to focus on her swim school MM Swim Inspiration (MMSI), that delivers residential camps for competitive swimmers aged 9-16 that brings an Olympic experience to swimmers on home soil.
She also travelled to South Africa and London with “The Leadership High,” talking about the ‘confidence muscle,’ a concept that you can build a stronger sense of self-belief through practice and effort.
Marshall spent time with family and friends and hosted a memorable leaving party in a teepee with 2008 double Olympic champion Becky Adlington and Olympic and world medallist Jo Jackson among those enjoying the festivities in Marshall’s back garden in Loughborough.
She also spent time with her mum Lorraine who brought her up in Wrangle, Lincolnshire.
Leaving her behind was the hardest part of Mel’s decision.
“You get to a certain age and you ask yourself how many days will I have with them?
“I was thinking about the whole move for so long and when I finally made the decision, it just really shines a light on time.
“It shines a light on how many more times can I pop into my mum’s house? How many more times can I see my friends? My friends’ kids will all be much more grown-up when I get back.
“That in itself has been therapeutic, you kind of reorganise what matters in your life and what doesn’t matter and what you want to do.”
Lorraine saw how Marshall was wavering about whether to go to Australia as well as not living life to its full potential.
She told Marshall: “‘I haven’t had you to keep you: you need to go and live your dream.’
“That must have been a hard sentence for a mum to say but I will always be thankful for her saying that. We’ve got an Alexa so I can pop into her kitchen all the time which has been hilarious to do. I’ve been given really good support to make sure I can get home and again that was a really important part of when I came out here having the support to be able to do that.”
Looking At 2025 And Beyond
Less than three months into Marshall’s tenure and what stands out is the toughness of her swimmers and their openness and willingness to adapt to what she’s bringing.
Her focus for 2025 is to protect them from expectation and manage them through year one of the Olympic cycle which includes the World Championships in Singapore.
Next year will herald her return to British shores when Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games in the same Tollcross pool in which Peaty won his first senior medal with 100m breaststroke gold in 2014.
Los Angeles will stage the 2026 Pan-Pacific Championships (Pan-Pacs) in the first edition since 2018 following the knock-on from the Covid pandemic.
For Marshall, 2026 will be the benchmark.
“Once I get my philosophies through and trust is built and everything gets a bit more settled. I always think year one discovery, year two, innovate; year three work; year four refine.
“So, in that post-Olympic space it requires some management and it requires some protecting from expectations.
“I’ve got to follow the succession of one of Australia’s greatest coaches and that in itself is a welcome challenge. I need to find my best version of me and that’s what I plan to do.”
