New swimming coach knows task ahead of him

Will Johnston 

Photo: Swimming coach Mariano Garcia Nani has replaced Sue Southgate at the Aquabladz New Plymouth swimming club. 

Mariano Garcia Nani knows he has big shoes to fill but the swimming coach is up for the challenge.  

The 34-year-old from Argentina has replaced Sue Southgate as the head coach of the Aquabladz New Plymouth swimming club, based at the Methanex Bell Block Aquatic Centre.  

Southgate retired after a 23-year coaching career in Taranaki, where she coached hundreds of children, national champions and Taranaki Olympic swimmers. She was also Swimming New Zealand’s coach of the year in 2015 and bagged the same award at the Taranaki Sports Awards six times – the most out of anyone.  

Garcia Nani said it was an honour to be selected as Southgate’s replacement.  

“It was a privilege and filled me with a lot of motivation and self-drive I have for the sport,” he said.  

Since he moved to New Plymouth nearly three months ago, Gracia Nani has been in regular contact with Southgate and fellow coach Donna Bouzaid to help him transition into the role. 

After moving to New Zealand in 2015, Garcia Nani became Hokonui Aquatics coach in Gore two years later. He was also mentored by Bouzaid who helped him gain his coaching accreditation.  

In this new role, he admits he will add his own flavour to the club but wants to continue the legacy Southgate has left behind. There is also a focus to develop and support the coaches working under him.  

He’s quickly realised the history of the sport in the region and knows there are a group of talented swimmers here able to reach the national stage and even the Olympics.  

“It’s quite magical the talent coming out of the region. Out of the squad of swimmers, there’s definitely the potential to reach that stage.” 

To get to that level, he said swimmers need to first have talent but also consistency, disciple and a strong character to overcome dealing with failure. 

“If they overcome that stage, they can unlock potential.” 

Gracia Nani can stamp his mark almost immediately as the club is preparing for the Taranaki championships next month, the nationals and national age-groups in April and division two championships in May. He wants the club to be in the top 10 of the country.  

His first impressions of Taranaki have been positive. While it shares similar attributes to Southland, he is impressed by the community support, facilities and surf beaches here.  

“I used to travel 100 kilometers for a good surf, now I can drive five minutes for one,” he said.