Tasmanian swimming coach Rohan Taylor takes charge of Australian Olympic team

Taylor was this week announced as Swimming Australia's new head coach following Jacco Verhaeren's decision to return home to the Netherlands.

Ironically, Taylor had replaced another Australian Olympic head coach, Leigh Nugent, when he took charge of the Tasmanian and Victorian swimming programs in January, 2017.

The Melburnian said he couldn't pass up the opportunity to lead the Australian Dolphins team as it embarks on its extended Tokyo campaign.

"I feel really privileged and honoured to take up this opportunity and continue what Jacco has put in place," he said.

"I want to help make a difference, provide support to people to achieve their goals and see everyone - the coaches and the athletes - really get rewarded for their hard work. So, if I can help in any way and lead in that space, that's what motivates me and what I'm looking forward to."

Taylor's swimming journey followed his father's work from Nauru to America before returning to accept a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport in 1985.

He coached in NSW and Victoria where he took charge at the successful Nunawading club, guiding Leisel Jones to three Olympic gold medals.

Adding Tasmania to his resume, his introduction to the state's swimmers came at a training clinic in Launceston in 2017 when he was also given a ringing endorsement by the city's backstroke specialist Shani Burleigh.

Tasmanian female swimmer of the year five years running, Burleigh competed in every national age and open short course meet for a decade and spent five years being coached by Taylor at Nunawading.

"I saw what he did with Nuna after an Olympic cycle," she said. "He rebuilt it for the next four years and it was cool to watch as we gained momentum again.

"Rohan can relate to a lot of experiences because he has had athletes from so many different backgrounds and he caters for that."

Taylor said he was excited by the challenges awaiting the country's top swimmers including another Launceston product, teenage freestyle sensation Ariarne Titmus.

"For me it's about relationships and I have good, strong relationships across the board with coaches, athletes and the staff, because I've been working on the team recently with Jacco, but also as a coach for the last 10 or so years," he said.

"All we're there to do is to ensure that the athletes and coaches have everything they require to win when it matters.

"I know what it's like on both sides and what worked well for me, and I hope to try and continue that on. There's not much to change, it's really about managing the unforeseen challenges that will come up.

"The unforeseen challenges at the moment is obviously the COVID-19 situation and what we might or might not have to do at the Olympics, but I'm confident and comfortable with the team and staff that we can be adaptable."

Taylor said maintaining the team culture would be a vital component to future success.

"It's a place where you feel comfortable, valued and where you can be yourself, drive for excellence and know the support is there and you can have a bit of fun too.

"It is a challenging existence being any elite sports person and when you're in the environment with your peers you want to enjoy that time - so protecting that culture is really important and ensuring it continues on."

Taylor will move from Melbourne to Swimming Australia's high performance program in Queensland with his wife and three daughters.

Swimming Tasmania was among those to wish him well and also thank Verhaeren this week.

In a post on Facebook, the state body said: "From all of us at Swimming Tasmania, a huge thank you to Jacco for his hard work and commitment over the past seven years, and a big congratulations to Rohan as he takes over the reins and leads the Tokyo 2020 campaign."

Taylor has been appointed on a 12-month basis before Swimming Australia launches a search for a full-time replacement, although chief executive Leigh Russell said he would be considered for the permanent role if interested.

"It comes down to being an audition," Taylor told AAP. "The focus is this campaign.

"I think at that time (after Tokyo) I will make a decision. I could get to the end of this and say 'that will do me' or I might be really excited and want to take it on - I will let it play out."

Taylor has worked under Verhaeren in a number of campaigns as the Dolphins team's coach leader.

Having coached the likes of Olympic champions Pieter van den Hoogenband and Inge de Bruijn in the Netherlands, Verhaeren revitalised Australian swimming after the disappointment of the 2012 London Olympic campaign where the nation recorded its worst medal tally in a Games pool for 20 years.

Australia subsequently reclaimed its world No.2 spot with three gold medals at the Rio Olympics and runners-up finishes at the 2015 and 2019 world titles.