Rowing Australia has replaced its head coaches following its lowest Olympic medal haul in 36 years, winning just one bronze medal in Paris.
RA have lured British Rowing's high performance coach James Harris and turned to Chris O'Brien, who was part of the national set-up from 1996 to 2016, to steer the Australian program through to the next Games in Los Angeles.
After the high of Tokyo when they equalled the most rowing gold won at a Games, with two as well as two bronze, the sole medal in Paris was won by women's pair Annabelle McIntyre and Jess Morrison.
The previous worst result at an Olympics was in Seoul in 1988 when the rowers failed to podium.
Following an external review of the program, RA announced on Monday it had cut men's head coach Rhett Ayliffe and women's boss John Keogh.
Set to lead the women's program in Penrith, Harris coached Great Britain's women's four to Olympic silver this year.
He also guided their women's eight to a silver medal at the Rio Games in 2016, a historic first for Team GB.
“I’ve spent over a decade working in one of the world’s leading rowing programs and I'm looking forward to the huge opportunity of a head coaching role in a proud rowing nation like Australia,” Harris said in a statement.
"The women’s centre has the athletes and staff with the talent, ambition and drive that makes it a real privilege to be tasked with supporting them to explore their limits and find their best as we refocus towards the next Olympics.”
During his previous stint with Australian rowing, O'Brien's crews collected two Olympic gold and two silver medals, alongside five world championship titles.
Taking charge of the men's program in Canberra, O'Brien has recently been performance director and interim-CEO of Gymnastics Australia.
"I’ve learned an incredible amount working in high performance across multiple sports and roles but rowing has been my lifelong passion,” O’Brien said.
"It feels like coming home and I’m ready to play my part in shaping this hugely important period as we look towards LA and then beyond to a home Games in Brisbane.”
