example-image
Connect with Us:  

Pereira Quits Pro2016; New Coach For Cielo

Feb 19, 2013  - Craig Lord

Brazil's top two swimmers, Olympic medallists Cesar Cielo and Thiago Pereira, are heading in different directions amid denials that the Pro 2016 squad formed by the world sprint champion is about to fold.

Thiago, Olympic silver medallist behind Ryan Lochte (USA) over 400m medley at London 2012, has left Pro 2016, the team formed by Cielo to prepare Brazilians for the Rio 2016 Games at home, and is being coached by Felipe Dominguez at the Academia Reebok. 

Dominguez has been an assistant to head coach Albertinho, mentor to Cielo, who said Pro 2016 would not fold and was at the start of a new cycle.

When asked by the Brazilian media about Cielo's take on Pro 2016, Albertinho is reported to have said: "If he, the boss, is saying so, that's how it will be".

Cielo is now to be coached by Scott Goodrich, at 26 the same age as the sprinter and a former Auburn teammate. Goodrich looks set to head up a relaunched Pro 2016 programme in Florianópolis, while Cielo will also spend some of his time back at Auburn with coach Brett Hawke, the former Aussie sprint international who guided the Brazilian to Olympic glory in 2008.