Irish Coach Jon Rudd Named Saudi Olympic Swimming Performance Director
Renowned for guiding Irish swimmers to international podiums, Jon Rudd is now shaping Saudi Arabia’s swimming future.
Irish swimming leader Jon Rudd has been appointed High Performance Director (Swimming) at the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Rudd, who will step down from his role with Swim Ireland in June, has been central to Ireland’s swimming success over the past eight years. Under his leadership, Irish athletes achieved historic breakthroughs, including the nation’s first World Junior Championship medals, European records set by Daniel Wiffen, and Mona McSharry’s Olympic bronze.
His arrival in Saudi Arabia comes at a pivotal moment. As the country accelerates its ambitions across Olympic and Paralympic sports, Rudd is expected to play a key role in building competitive swimming programmes, developing pathways for athletes, and fostering a new generation of talent capable of making an impact on the global stage.
In Ireland, Andrew Reid, current Head of Performance Pathways & Operations, will take on interim leadership of the high performance programme as Swim Ireland prepares for the next Olympic cycle towards LA 2028.
