Susan Rolph the double Commonwealth freestyle champion, has been forced out of her native Tyneside because of what she claims a "hate campaign". Later this month she will move to South Wales and team up with Dave Haller in Cardiff.

The twenty two year old who won the 100m freestyle at the 1999 European Championships, failed to produce her best at the Sydney Olympics. When she returned home from Australia she parted company with her old club Newcastle and joined Newburn the club with whom she started her competitive swimming career some fourteen years ago.

Susan is not happy about leaving the city she loves but claims "I had to get away" adding "It became unbearable, the silences, the nastiness and the back biting". But stated "My decision has nothing to do with Newburn. I've been extremely happy since I returned to the club".

Just weeks after winning her European crown she went on holiday and in her own words "went with a friend and came back with a fiance"- Phil Griffiths. Phil hails from just outside Cardiff which has had some bearing on her choice of venue. Having taken stock and rethought their lives they have decide "We're going back to his roots".

Bill Sweetenham the new National Performance Director has been involved with Susan's decision and says "Sue Rolph and the City of Newcastle's Swimming Programme have enjoyed a successful partnership over a long period of time. It's perhaps inevitable such partnerships can, at times, grow apart. Sue has now decided to make her move to Wales. She considered several options with me as National Performance Director and has made her final decision in the best interests for her future swimming career, or at least I hope so. She has much to contribute and GB Swimming continues to offer her every support in this move and in her future swimming career. I congratulate both Sue and Newcastle on what has been an outstanding partnership."

Her new coach Dave Haller is no stranger at dealing with elite swimmers he is a former British chief Olympic coach and has helped steer both David Wilkie and Duncan Goodhew to Olympic glory.