PRESS RELEASE: Aquazone Welcomes Delon Dannhauser as New Head Coach from 1 May 2025
Aquazone Swim Club is proud to announce the appointment of Delon Dannhauser as its new Head Coach, effective 1 May 2025. Delon succeeds Angela van Heerden, who will remain actively involved in running Aquazone as she embarks on a new season of leadership and growth within the club.
A visionary coach with over 20 years of international high-performance experience, Delon brings a unique blend of technical mastery, athlete-centred coaching, and a lifelong passion for swimming excellence. His most recent role as National Head Coach for Malta culminated in a historic performance at the 2023 Games of the Small States of Europe, where his swimmers secured 17 medals and shattered numerous national records.
Delon’s journey in elite coaching began following successful stints in competitive swimming and cycling, underpinned by a deep academic grounding in Sports Science from the University of Pretoria. A pioneer of Dartfish video analysis in South Africa, he has been instrumental in transforming stroke mechanics and biomechanics training across all swimmer levels. His qualifications include certifications from the American Swim Coaches Association and the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association, underscoring his commitment to innovation and ongoing professional development.
His coaching resume spans continents and includes tenures at top-tier clubs such as Seagulls Swimming Club, where he worked alongside Olympic head coach Graham Hill, and played an assistive role in the early preparation of Chad le Clos leading up to the 2012 London Olympic Games. Delon has coached athletes who represented South Africa in the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio Olympic Games, as well as major international competitions including the World Junior Championships, Commonwealth Games, and World Cup circuits.
Beyond elite performance, Delon has a profound passion for grassroots development. From founding swim schools to designing learn-to-swim curricula and dryland training programmes, he has dedicated his career to nurturing swimmers from foundational levels to the international stage. His recent work with the Sirens Waterpolo Nursery in Malta included curriculum design, mentorship, and performance analysis, resulting in multiple national records and international honours.
“Aquazone has always been more than just a swim club—it’s a community built on passion, precision, and purpose,” said Angela van Heerden. “Delon embodies these values. His global expertise and holistic coaching philosophy make him the ideal leader to guide our swimmers into the next chapter.”
Delon shares a strategic and compassionate approach to coaching, one that places the well-being, growth, and potential of each athlete at the heart of every training session. His leadership aligns seamlessly with Aquazone’s mission to inspire a lifelong love of swimming and empower swimmers to achieve their full potential, whether in competitive lanes or life.
We are excited to welcome Delon to the Aquazone family and look forward to the new wave of excellence he will bring.