Head Coach of the City of Cardiff Swimming Club Dave Haller MBE has announced his retirement from the sport after 47 years of coaching.
Haller has an impressive pedigree in the world of swimming after coaching at 10 Olympic Games and 12 Commonwealth Games.
Haller is one of the UK’s most successful swimming coaches after coaching 45 swimmers to the National team at every Olympic Games since 1968.
Mark Foster was coached by Haller when he competed at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and in the same year he broke world records in both long and short course events.
He paid respect to Haller and explained that he gave everything to his swimming career.
“Dave was one of the most grounding people to be around,” Foster said. “I always found him a really calming influence and he took the stress and hassle out of every situation.
“In a competition environment he just took the pressure off athletes and that for me was ideal. He was an Olympic swimmer so he knew what it was like to be in that arena and he made it easier for you to be at your best.
“He is one of the most engaging and knowledgeable coaches I have worked with and he really cares about all of the swimmers he worked with. He always offered guidance and support and he will always be passionate about swimming.
“I want to thank him for all of his hard work and wish him all the best for the future - I know he’ll be playing golf.”
He also coached David Wilkie and Duncan Goodhew to Olympic Gold Medals and Dave Davies to Olympic bronze at his first Games in 2004.
On top of his athletes’ achievements, Haller has also been awarded a number of prestigious accolades including BBC Wales ‘Coach of the Year’ (2004) and has received the British Swimming Coaches Association ‘Coach of the Year’ award no less than nine times.
In 2008, he received an MBE for services to the sport in recognition of his dedicated career in swimming. Recently the British Swimming Coaches Association has presented Dave with the accolade of ‘Performance Coach of the Year’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for 40 years of swimming coaching.
His coaching success has continued throughout his illustrious career having two Cardiff swimmers on the team for London 2012, Ieuan Lloyd and David Davies for his third Olympics.
In 2014, six of his swimmers from the City of Cardiff Swimming Club were selected for the Welsh Team in the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.