Wednesday, 19 December 2018:
 | | Australian swim coach JACCO VERHAEREN speaks to the media during a Swimming Australia partnership announcement at the Melbourne Sports Aquatic Centre in Melbourne, Australia. | |
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Australian swimming head coach Jacco Verhaeren admits relocating to Sydney will prove a challenge for the world-beating Campbell sisters.
But he believes a change in surroundings may help former world champions Cate and Bronte Campbell find another gear ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Bronte Campbell bid farewell to Brisbane with her final appearance at the Queensland swimming titles as a local on Tuesday night, claiming 50m freestyle bronze in a comeback meet from injury.
Fresh from a post-Gold Coast Commonwealth Games break, Campbell will fly out with big sister Cate to Sydney in the New Year.
They opted to follow coach Simon Cusack, who has been poached by the NSW Institute of Sport.
Verhaeren admitted the move to Sydney wouldn't be all smooth sailing for the siblings.
"There is quite a big transition for her and her sister coming up, it will require a bit of an adjustment," he told AAP.
But he believed it was just what the veteran pair needed to ensure they were at their best for what is expected to their swansong, the 2020 Olympics.
"Sometimes a new environment can bring a few challenges," he said.
"But I think it will bring more opportunities (to improve before Tokyo) than challenges.
"I think if anything it is an exciting step for them to make.
"The best thing to help their consistency is to have their long term coach with them.
"They can maintain their successful program which is the most important thing and who knows how much they can improve (by Tokyo)."
Verhaeren was encouraged by Bronte Campbell's successful return to the pool after her injury-enforced eight month break following the Commonwealth Games.
"It's been a while since she has raced so it is good to see her return in competition and she is training well," Verhaeren said.
Campbell will now prepare for life in Sydney before setting her sights on her biggest meet before the Tokyo Olympics, the 2019 world swimming championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
She took a sabbatical from the pool in a bid to overcome niggling shoulder, back and hip dramas that had plagued her for years.
Campbell committed to the break before April's Commonwealth Games but seemed reluctant after rediscovering her mojo on the Gold Coast, upsetting her sister Cate in the 100m freestyle in a Games record and collecting three gold medals.
However, Campbell was finally convinced to enjoy time away after Cate's remarkable rejuvenation.
Cate Campbell took 12 months off after a disastrous 2016 Olympics and returned to exorcise her Rio demons by winning five gold at August's Pan Pacs in Tokyo.
