Marcel Wouda Takes the Helm as Netherlands’ New Distance Coach

Marcel Wouda Designated Netherlands Coach for Distance Swimming

Marcel Wouda has been named the head coach of distance swimming as the Netherlands enhances its preparations for the Olympic cycle leading to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

Wouda commenced his new position at the Royal Dutch Swimming Federation (KNZB) on January 1, joining fellow coaches Patrick Pearson (leader of the Eindhoven high-performance center), Bram Dekker (TeamNL Para-swimming), and Peter Bishop, who assumed head coach responsibilities in November 2024 after the previous coach Mark Faber transitioned to lead the Belgium team.

The group will now strategize for LA2028, with the Netherlands having secured one gold medal at Paris 2024, thanks to Sharon van Rouwendaal in the 10k event, while Tes Schouten and Caspar Corbeau each earned bronze in their respective 200m breaststroke competitions.

The 52-year-old, who earned Olympic bronze in the 4×2 at Sydney 2000, has been present on the poolside since 2003, when he was appointed KNZB youth coach, with Ranomi Kromowidjojo among his trainees.

He became the head coach at the Eindhoven high-performance center in 2006, where he continued working with Kromowidjojo.

Wouda guided Maarten van der Weijden to Olympic gold in the 10k at Beijing 2008 and served as the open water coach during the Rio Games eight years later, where Sharon van Rouwendaal and Ferry Weertman achieved a Dutch golden double.

Appointed head coach of the Eindhoven National Training Centre (NTC) in October 2016, Wouda then focused on the 2032 Medley Project aimed at advancing the IM in the Netherlands, in which he was the world 200IM champion in 1998.

Sjors Lommerts, technical director of KNZB, stated: “We are extremely pleased that Marcel Wouda is back with us full-time. With his expertise and experience, he greatly strengthens the coaching team for our elite swimmers, both in the pool and in open water.”