The Coach Who Puts People Before Medals | Adam Peaty's Olympic Coach, Mel Marshall
The High Performance Podcast
High Performance
4.6 • 4.8K Ratings
🗓️ 1 May 2026
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week we're revisiting one of the most beloved episodes in High Performance history — our conversation with Mel Marshall, former head coach to Adam Peaty and one of the most compelling thinkers on leadership, coaching and human development we've ever had on the show.
Mel went to Athens in 2004 as the world's fastest swimmer in her event. She came home without a medal. From that moment, she built an entirely new philosophy — and went on to coach Adam Peaty to multiple Olympic gold medals from a club pool in Derby with dodgy lane ropes and no gym.
In this episode, Mel talks about why people always come before performance. How she builds commitment culture. The art of giving feedback that actually changes behaviour. And the question she plans to ask Adam at the end of his career that has nothing to do with medals.
One of the most complete conversations we've had on this show — and one that will stay with you long after it's finished.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're going to go to your Olympics, whatever that might be. |
| 0:05.0 | That might be the county championships, that might be the actual Olympic Games. |
| 0:09.0 | There's no ceilings, there's no boundaries, I just want your energy enthusiasm and your constant commitment |
| 0:15.0 | and will get you to your Olympics, whatever that might be. |
| 0:17.0 | You go to sleep an expert and you wake up a novice. I just think that if you treat life |
| 0:23.4 | like that every day is a journey. It's about how do you make the best version of yourself every |
| 0:27.5 | single day. Today, we're revisiting one of the most loved episodes in high performance history, |
| 0:36.4 | our conversation with the phenomenal Mel Marshall. |
| 0:40.3 | Mel is the woman who coached Adam Petey to multiple Olympic gold medals, a number of world records |
| 0:46.8 | and a decade of dominance that made him the greatest breaststroke swim at the sport as ever seen. |
| 0:53.5 | But this episode was never really about swimming. |
| 0:56.6 | It's about how you can build people up, how you can lead teams and how you create cultures |
| 1:01.7 | where everyone, from the most talented to the least, finds their version of gold. |
| 1:07.3 | What you're about to hear on this podcast is a masterclass in people management, |
| 1:11.9 | how to give feedback that actually lands with impact, |
| 1:14.6 | how to develop character and not just performance. |
| 1:18.0 | And why? |
| 1:18.9 | For Mel, the real win isn't the gold medal. |
| 1:22.1 | It's who you become on your way to get in it. |
| 1:25.1 | I'd love to welcome to high performance, the brilliant Mel Marshall. |
| 1:34.0 | I think you go to sleep an expert and you wake up a novice. |
| 1:38.7 | And I just think that if you treat life like that, every day is a journey. |
... |
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