Arthur Cusack

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Arthur Cusack (born 1920 in Maryborough, Queensland and died 2000 in Brisbane), was a prominent Australian Olympic Swimming Coach from Maryborough, Queensland of the 1950's and 60's.

Arthur Cusack

Arthur Cusack was the coach of dual Olympic Gold medal winner David Theile, who, under the guidance of Cusack, won gold in the 100m backstroke in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and the 1960 Rome Olympics as well as silver in the 4 x 100m Medley Relay team at the same games in Rome.

Arthur Cusack also coached his nephew Robert Cusack who won a bronze medal along with Michael Wenden, Bob Windle and Greg Rogers in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and Ann Margaret Nelson who was a finalist of the 110 yards backstroke in the Cardiff 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games where she finished 5th.

Arthur Cusack introduced a controversial backstroke turn and a bent arm stroke to assist David Theile in his quest for Olympic gold. This new turning technique was seen as suspect by some officials during the heats of the 100m Backstroke at the 1956 Olympics, who wanted Theile to give a demonstration for their review which was refused by Cusack. The turn was not subsequently used by Thiele during the final, but during the 1957 Queensland Championships Theile was disqualified for the only time in his career, after officials ruled that the turning style was illegal. However this turning style soon became widely adopted by other swimmers copying the turn and is still used primarily by Backstrokers today.

In 1938 at just 18 years of age Cusack became the Secretary of the newly formed Maryborough Swimming Club. He, along with Des Ramsay, became a Coach at the club at the end of theSecond World War. David Thiele was initially coached by Ramsay, but at an early age switched to Cusack as his coach, even though Cusack was thought to be a "hard task master" by many swimmers as he would require long tiring sessions in the pool from his charges.

In 1958 Cusack left Maryborough. In 1962 Arthur was appointed as a coach on the Australian 1962 Commonwealth Games Team in Perth Western Australia. Sometime in the mid sixties Arthur took over took over the lease of the Centenary Pool, Brisbane. It was from here that he would take on the coaching of his nephew Robert Cusack into the Australian Olympic Team. In 1970 Arthur was again appointed as a Coach on the Australian Commonwealth Games team for the Edinburgh Games, this time as coach of the Women's team.

Cusack was a member of the Australian Olympic Committee for many years.

Arthur Cusack is a Merit Award Recipient, and is on the Honour Roll, of the Australian Olympic Committee, - Queensland Olympic Council for his services to Olympic Swimming and the Olympic Movement in Australia.

Arthur Cusack passed away in 2000.