Ex-NZ swimming coach Cameron dies

Former New Zealand swimming coach Jan Cameron has died suddenly in Queensland, aged 70.

Cameron, who Swimming Australia confirmedpassed in the early hours of Monday morning, was widely seen as the driving force behind the setting up of New Zealand swimming’s first high performance programme.

A silver medallist for Australia in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Cameron shifted to New Zealand in 1991, initially working as head coach for the North Shore Swimming Club, a club with little resources but one to which she attracted many of New Zealand’s top swimmers.

She was appointed national coach in 2001, with Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) changing her role to general manager of performance and pathways in 2008. Essentially, she was in charge of high performance. Cameron had some great success at SNZ, including with Olympian Moss Burmester, but it finished badly in 2011 with her resignation, about three months after the release of the Ineson Report. She was heavily criticised in the report commissioned by Sport and Recreation New Zealand and written by well known sports administrator Chris Ineson, who described Swimming NZ’s high performance culture as dysfunctional and unsustainable.

"As Swimming Australia’s current para sport mentor coach, Jan was a much-loved member of our swimming family – staff, coaches, officials and athletes alike. Jan’s illustrious career has spanned all areas of swimming including as an athlete, coach and administrator,’’ Swimming Australia said in a statement.

Swimming Australia will advise an appropriate memorial in due course.