“At least you’re getting the calories out,” he laughed when she confided that she’d been making herself sick after meals. “It made me… then it broke me.” These aren’t bitter lines lifted from some movie script; instead, they’re the unfiltered words of Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte shared in a recent interview with the BBC. With this confession, it was clear—the curtains were being lifted.

She once slept with her gold medal tucked inside her pajama pocket. But behind the dazzling swim records and cheering crowds was a teenage girl quietly drowning under the weight of toxic expectations. She was called the pride of Lithuania and the adopted star of British swimming. Now, years later, she’s turning the stones on a culture that left her “broken.”

The man at the center of her story? One of Britain’s most celebrated swim coaches. But before knowing his story, it is important to understand Ruta’s journey.

Who is Ruta Meilutyte?

Ruta Meilutyte isn’t just another name in the Olympic archives, but she’s a story of wonder, resilience, and now, reckoning. Born on March 19, 1997, in Kaunas, Lithuania, Ruta was the youngest of three siblings. She began swimming at just seven years old. Her feet were already size 43 EU by the age of 1, a small detail, but one that hinted at the physical gifts soon to be honed into greatness.

By the time she was 15, Ruta had already broken eleven Lithuanian national swimming records. But that was only the beginning. In 2012, at just 15 years old, she stunned the world by winning gold in the 100m breaststroke at the London Olympics. She led from start to finish and blew away the competition, including world champion Rebecca Soni, to win in 1:05.55.

“I was just so shocked. I slept with the medal in the pocket of my pyjamas.” She said to Olympics.com. Her story, however, isn’t only about speed, medals, or international headlines.

Ruta had moved to the UK at the age of 12 with her father, Saulius, who had come in search of better job opportunities. “It was quite hard to get used to life here at first. My dad had come here for work, to earn more money.”

“I miss a lot of things from back in Lithuania. I’m excited because after the Olympics I will go there for a holiday, chill out on the beach, and see some of my friends and relatives.”

She earned a scholarship to Plymouth College, a school known for its elite swimming program, and trained under coach Jon Rudd at the Plymouth Leander club.

Who is Jon Rudd, and what are the accusations against him?

Jon Rudd. For nearly three decades, his name was synonymous with excellence at Plymouth Leander, and he has coached Olympians, built champions, and become a legend of British coaching. But now, that legacy is under serious scrutiny.

According to reports in the BBC, Rudd is facing multiple allegations from 12 former swimmers, including Olympic gold medalist Ruta Meilutyte and bronze medalist Cassie Patten, for fostering a negative culture.

Meilutyte said Rudd’s intense focus on weight and diet contributed to her developing an eating disorder and falling into depression.

Patten alleges he made her train through a shoulder injury that eventually ended her career. Phoebe Lenderyou, a Commonwealth Youth gold medalist, claims his coaching aggravated her eating disorder.

According to the BBC, an independent investigation in 2012, launched after complaints from 17 witnesses, concluded that Rudd should be suspended for four months. However, no action was taken by Swim England, the sport’s governing body. “We have found that Swim England, the governing body, did not act on a confidential 2012 investigation which ruled Rudd should be suspended after hearing evidence about his behaviour from 17 witnesses,” BBC Panorama said.

Its current CEO, Andy Salmon, admitted he didn’t know why the recommended suspension was ignored and said he was “deeply, deeply sorry” to all affected.

Lindsay Trimmings, Rudd’s assistant coach, was also meant to be suspended from Plymouth Leander. According to the original investigation, she later became Swim England’s head of coaching but left in 2023.
“Clearly, the organisation failed to act on the independent recommendations made at the time. And I’m really sorry, on behalf of Swim England, for any suffering that that might have led to,” Salmon added.

Rudd continued his coaching career uninterrupted, moving on to become Swim Ireland’s director of performance swimming in 2017 and later being appointed to lead Saudi Arabia’s Olympic swimming programme.