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The late Randy Bennett鈥檚 position at Saanich Commonwealth Place pool will be taken over by new High Performance Centre-Victoria head coach Ryan Mallette. Swimming sa国际传媒 made it official Friday. Mallette had been coaching the centre swimmers on an interim basis since February, when Bennett took ill. Bennett, who was also the national team coach, died at age 51 of cancer April 27 in Victoria.

Mallette will guide two-time Olympic medallist Ryan Cochrane 鈥� as well as Cochrane鈥檚 High Performance Centre-Victoria clubmates Hilary Caldwell, Alec Page and Jeremy Bagshaw 鈥� at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games and 2015 FINA world aquatics championships in Kazan, Russia. Open-water swimmer Eric Hedlin, from the centre and also based at Saanich Commonwealth Place, has also qualified for the Pan Am Games and world championships.

Cochrane said continuity is the crucial element.

鈥淐onsistency is what many of us need at this point in time. And [Mallette] will provide that in the best way possible,鈥� said Cochrane recently.

Mallette was recruited from Montreal. He ran the Claremont Secondary swim program and was the NextGen coach the past three years at Saanich Commonwealth Place for Canadian Sport Institute-Pacific.

鈥淩andy Bennett was a great friend and mentor and I鈥檓 honoured to accept the challenge of following in his footsteps,鈥� said Mallette in a statement.

鈥淭he work environment is exceptional because everyone works relentlessly to be the best in the world. I am excited to have the opportunity to lead this group through their Olympic preparations and into Rio.鈥�

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