Trickett Confirms Switch of Coach
2008-10-01
Craig Lord
Olympic 'fly champion to train in Sydney alongside Eamon Sullivan under the guidance of coach Grant Stoelwinder

Libby Trickett, Olympic 100m butterfly champion, has confirmed that she will train alongside Eamon Sullivan under the guidance of coach Grant Stoelwinder in Sydney. Her decision brings to a close a successful chapter with Swiss-born coach Stephan Widmer in Brisbane. 

She told Nicole Jeffery, of The Australian: "Before the Olympics, I thought I would retire, but with everything that happened [in Beijing] I realised I wanted to try to get even closer to my potential. I came to the decision I was just really craving change and new stimulus. What we do [in training] is monotonous and time-consuming and tiring. You need to be rejuvenated at times.''

The split with Widmer has been hard. I was physically sick for a week thinking about it,'' Trickett said. "It's so hard. We have developed such a close relationship, he's like a father figure to me.'' Widmer, who was informed before Trickett approached Stoelwinder, gave his blessing to the move. He said he had "no bad feelings" about the move, which was prompted in part by a career move for the swimmer's husband, Luke.

Stoelwinder is quoted as saying: "Libby is extremely experienced and she's a very smart girl who knows her body and what works for her."

Trickett tells Jeffery: "I consider myself a female version of Eamon, and I am very much suited to a male-style program. I think we will be good for each other.''