Jane Figueiredo believes training in one of London 2012’s Olympic venues will help bring added success after she was named as the head coach of the new British Diving High Performance Centre in London.
Figueiredo, who has previously coached Russian female divers to four Olympic medals, including gold for Yulia Pakhalina and Vera Ilynia in Sydney 2000, is the current Head Coach of the Diving programme for the University of Houston.
But she will take up her new post with the British Diving High Performance Centre, based at the London Aquatics Centre, on January 15.
Tom Daley picked up Britain’s sole diving medal in the same venue in London 2012 when he took bronze in the 10 metre individual platform.
But Figueiredo, herself a former diver, expects to see further British success off the diving board under the new set up.
“The opportunity to come to London is one that I just couldn’t resist. The timing was right for me to make a new move in my career and I am excited to get over and get started,” she said.
“I have been to the pool and met with GLL and British Diving and their plans blew me away.
“It is great that they have put so much emphasis on diving. I am going to be in a system where I can just focus on diving and the fact we all want the focus to be on diving made the opportunity all the more special.”
“The pool is just so inspiring and motivating and GLL and British Diving have really come together as a group and made it into a facility that will draw a lot of awesome young divers and future Olympians.”