Inspire Institute of Sport Ropes In Sean Kelly To Drive Swimming Programme

The Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) has appointed Sean Kelly as Performance Coach, Swimming. Kelly brings over three decades of experience in swimming and high-performance coaching and will work with the athletes and coaches at IIS as the swimming programme enters its next phase of growth.

Most recently, Kelly served as High Performance Coach and Foreign Technical Consultant to the Indian National Team during the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, following a 45-day preparatory camp in Ahmedabad. Prior to this, he served as National Performance Director and Head Coach of the Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN) from 2020 to 2024. During his tenure, the Spanish programme won one World Championship gold and two silver medals, including Spain's first men's World Championship gold in 33 years, and qualified four relays for the Olympic Games.A former Performance Director at Stockport Metro and Head Coach at the National Training Centre in Great Britain, Kelly has worked across different levels of the sport. He has attended five Olympic Games and delivered three Olympic medals as a coach. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he was Team GB Head Coach for the Open Water team.

Kelly also served as Foreign Technical Consultant for Team India at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Ahead of the Games, he conducted a 45-day preparatory camp with India's leading swimmers in Ahmedabad.

As part of this new high-performance direction, IIS and Kelly will also be part of a talent recruitment drive to identify new and emerging talent, as well as current swimmers, who aspire to be part of the programme.

Gary Hall, said, "Sean brings the experience and drive we need to take swimming, not just at IIS but across India, to the next level. He has demonstrated his ability to deliver results during his stint with Spanish swimming and has produced several champion swimmers."

At IIS, Kelly will work closely with the swimming athletes, coaches and support staff. His role will include athlete development, coach development and strengthening the day-to-day high-performance environment. He will also bring his experience of building programmes that support athletes over the long term.

Sean Kelly, Performance Coach, Swimming, Inspire Institute of Sport, said, "I am here with one goal in mind: to raise the standard of swimming in India. When I was in Spain, I said Spanish swimmers could achieve great things, but not everyone believed me. Four years later, we had exceptional talent in the sport. I see no reason why Indian swimmers cannot reach the world level."

Over the years, IIS has built a strong support system around its athletes. This includes sports science, strength and conditioning, nutrition, physiotherapy, recovery and performance analysis. The institute continues to bring together coaching and performance support to help athletes prepare for international competition.

Kelly's appointment adds international high-performance experience to the IIS swimming programme. He will work with the team as IIS continues to develop swimmers and coaches for the highest levels of competition.

About Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS):

Inspire Institute of Sport is one of India's premier high-performance facilities dedicated to nurturing sporting talent across multiple disciplines. With a commitment to excellence, IIS provides athletes with world-class training, cutting-edge facilities, and mentorship from top coaches and experts, empowering them to achieve their full potential on the global stage.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

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