Mel Marhshall

• Born: 12 January 1982

Mel Marhshall

Mel Marshall has enjoyed a distinguished career as both a swimmer and a coach.

An impressive CV includes seven Commonwealth Games medals, two Olympic appearances and a hugely successful, high-profile coaching career working with Britain’s top swimmers.

In the pool, Marshall started her swimming career at the 1995 European Youth Olympics, where she won four gold medals, and she went on to win 15 international senior medals, including six at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Following her retirement, she began coaching at City of Derby Swimming Club and played a key role in the development of Adam Peaty – with the two-time Olympic champion praising her for the impact she’d had on his career and life.

The duo moved to the Loughborough National Centre where several of the British swimming squad are based – and the accolades continued to come Marshall’s way.

She was part of the coaching team at the Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games and was Team England’s head coach for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Marshall was the first woman to ever receive the British Swimming Coaches Association Coach of the Year award in 2014 and has picked up numerous other awards throughout her glittering career.

She was awarded an MBE for services to swimming and charity in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2021.